Bipartisan Bill to incentivize rare disease treatments development in USA

US Senators Orrin Hatch (Republican, Utah) and Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, Minnesota) yesterday introduced the Orphan Product Extensions Now Accelerating Cures and Treatments Act (OPEN ACT) OF 2015.

The OPEN ACT would build on the success of the Orphan Drug Act to provide incentives to increase market potential for companies that “repurpose” previously approved drugs for the treatment of rare diseases. Repurposing drugs is faster, less expensive, and presents fewer risks than traditional drug development.

“Finding legislative ways to help medical innovators treat rare diseases has been a top priority of mine for over thirty years, since Congressman Henry Waxman and I first championed the Orphan Drug Actin 1983,” said Senator Hatch, adding: “This bill is a natural next step in expanding that effort to close the gap for rare diseases for which we do not yet have treatments. In addition to increasing the number of rare disease therapies, this legislation will help boost innovation and provide safer options for rare disease patients using drugs off-label.”