MAJOR COMPANIES
Soliris - Alexion
Alexion, founded in New Haven, Connecticut in 1992, is most popular for developing and marketing Soliris. Soliris is one of the most expensive orphan drugs on the market today. At $500,000 per year, or nearly $18,000 per dose Soliris has orphan indications to treat Paroxysman Nocturnal Hemoglobinura (PNH), Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS), Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG).
Cerezyme - Genzyme
Genzyme was founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1981, and acquired by Sanofi in 2011 to become Sanofi Genzyme. This corporation marketed the drug Cerezyme to treat patients who have type 1 Gaucher disease and anemia, low platelet count, spleen enargement, liver enlargement, and bone disease.
(I.14)
Blincyto - Amgen
Amgen was established in Thousand Oaks, California in 1980 as Applied Molecular Genetics Inc. Their orphan product, Blincyto, is used to treat patients with acute lymphoblastic lukemia. This is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer affecting white blood cells
(I.19)
Opdivo - Bristol-Myers Squibb
(I.20)
Bristol-Myers Squibb is responsible for developing the drug Opdivo. This product is meant to treat patients who have advanced stage lung cancer, but now the drug has an orphan indication to treat hepatocellular carcinoma. Although this is the most the most common form of liver cancer, it is still considered a rare disease.