Orphan Diseases
Orphan diseases are life-threatening or chronically debilitating diseases affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. Due to the small market size of orphan drugs, pharmaceutical companies do not generally invest significant funds toward their research and development. As a result, most sufferers of orphan diseases lack sufficient treatments.
A few key facts about orphan diseases:
- Millions of Americans suffer from one of the approximately 6,000 identified rare diseases;
- The same is true in Europe;
- No effective treatment is available;
- 85% are serious/life threatening; and
- 50% are pediatric.
The Chapel Hill Project aims to advance the development of new treatments for Orphan Diseases by providing funding, expertise and access to its portfolio technologies to companies pursuing such treatments.
