France: A European Leader In Rare Diseases

France has long been a European leader in rare diseases, from its scientific research and academic hospitals, through to patient advocacy and regulatory reforms that have encouraged R&D. Its biotech and pharmaceutical industries are now leading the way, discovering the next generation of therapies for patients that are often overlooked.

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Rare disease has become a real area of focus and growth for drug development. According to Citeline’s Pharma R&D Annual Review 2023, more than 30% of all drug development is targeted against rare diseases, with more than 700 separate conditions being investigated. Thanks to clinical breakthroughs and reimbursement schemes that provide access, both the industry and patients have been able to benefit.

This is especially true in France, where its companies have built a portfolio of 178 approved drugs for rare diseases...

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