GlaxoSmithKline establishes new rare diseases specialist unit

GlaxoSmithKline this week announced the launch of a specialist unit for the research of therapies for rare conditions.

Seeking to leverage existing capabilities and partnerships and establish further in-licensing opportunities, the division’s aim will be to develop and commercialise treatments for the 5,500 rare diseases that have so far been identified, according to figures from orpha.net.

The “lean” structure of the unit will be headed by Marc Dunoyer, the firm’s president of Asia Pacific, who will collaborate closely with the company’s senior vice-president of drug discovery with Patrick Vallance.

Mr Vallance said: “The risk associated with product discovery and development in rare diseases is generally lower than other disease areas as disease definitions are very clear and clinical trials tend to be small with robust endpoints.”

Last month, GlaxoSmithKline revealed that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use issued a positive opinion for Arzerra (ofatumumab), the company’s refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia therapy.