Coalition Welcomes New Company Members Healx and Zogenix, Inc.
WASHINGTON, D.C., – December 15, 2021 – The Rare Disease Company Coalition, a unified voice of life science companies committed to discovering, developing and delivering rare disease treatments, today announced the addition of two companies to the Coalition. Following its launch in May of 2021, the Coalition is rounding out its inaugural year boasting a total membership roster of 21 companies.
New members joining the Rare Disease Company Coalition are:
The Coalition strives to inform key policy stakeholders and members of Congress on the unique considerations of life science companies with respect to the development and manufacture of rare disease therapies as well as access and reimbursement following approval. As the federal government continues to consider policy reforms that could impact the ability of companies to innovate and develop groundbreaking treatments, the work of the Coalition and its member companies is essential on behalf of the one in 10 Americans living with rare diseases whose needs often go unmet.
“As we conclude an incredible inaugural year, we welcome two new members to our coalition and remain fiercely dedicated to our work ahead as we continue to facilitate ongoing education and engagement with policymakers about the needs of companies dedicated to the challenging work of developing treatments for rare diseases,” said Betsy Ricketts, Chair of the Rare Disease Company Coalition. “These efforts would not be possible without such an impressive group of life science companies with whom we are grateful to be working. The foundation we have established has us optimistic about the opportunities for continued member growth and greater understanding of rare disease.”
Life science companies that develop treatments for rare disease patients face numerous challenges that include smaller patient populations, variable disease progression or limited understanding of progression, and lack of consensus around meaningful clinical endpoints. As a result, a comparatively higher percentage of operating expenses is dedicated to research and development at these life science companies. In 2020, Rare Disease Company Coalition members invested more than $4.5 billion in research and development, representing on average more than half of their annual operating budgets, with over 225 treatment development programs in process.
This necessary commitment to research and development underscores the importance of supportive policy and regulatory frameworks that can foster a greater understanding of rare diseases and recognizes the distinct considerations associated with the development of and access to rare disease treatments.
To learn more about the Coalition and the need for informed policy and legislative discourse and actions related to rare disease treatment development and commercialization, please visit rarecoalition.com.
About
The Rare Disease Company Coalition represents life science companies committed to discovering, developing and delivering rare disease treatments for the patients we serve. As an education and advocacy-focused coalition of companies, our goal is to inform policymakers of the unique challenges and promises of rare disease drug discovery, development and manufacturing for small population sizes in order for critical innovation to continue. To achieve this goal, we will use our unified voice to advocate for long-term, consistent, equitable and sustainable government policies that enable life science companies to continue to bring hope and provide access to approved treatments to people living with rare diseases. For more information, please visit rarecoalition.com
Media Contact:
Anna Stallmann
media@rarecoalition.com
708-476-1258