The Spanish Association of Orphan and Ultra-Orphan Drug Laboratories (AELMHU) has made public the full text of its Annual Report on Access to Orphan Drugs (OMH) in Spain, a study that confirms that 2022 was a very hopeful year for patients with rare diseases (RD) at the European level, while in Spain delays in the approval of these treatments continue to increase.

Thus, before the upcoming commemoration of the World Day for Rare Diseases, AELMHU makes an assessment of its access indicators, warning that "we are facing a decisive year for the pharmaceutical industry in our country", since important projects such as the new Law on Guarantees and Rational Use of Medicines, the new European Regulation on Rare Diseases, the new Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe, the Strategic Plan for the Pharmaceutical Industry 2023-2025 or the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU are planned.

The Spanish Association of Orphan and Ultra-Orphan Drug Laboratories (AELMHU) publishes the preliminary results of its Annual Report on Access to Orphan Drugs in Spain 2022 in which it analyzes the access situation of trade-name products with orphan designation in force as of December 31, 2022.

At the end of the year, 146 orphan drugs had been authorized for marketing in the EU, of which 123 have already reached Spain (84%) but only 63 (43%) are financed.

During 2022, the SNS has incorporated 9 new orphan treatments and the average time from obtaining the National Code to its funding has been 34 months.

The Spanish Association of Orphan and Ultra Orphan Drug Laboratories (AELMHU) presented its annual awards yesterday evening at a ceremony held at Espacio Bertelsmann in Madrid.

In this fourth edition, the winners were the Hospital San Joan de Déu de Barcelona for the project 'La casa de Sofía', in the category of best care project on Rare Diseases (RRD); the Asociación MPS-Lisosomales España for the project 'Primer certamen de fotografía y cortometraje de EE, Estela's Birthday', in the category of best project for dissemination, diffusion and awareness of RRDs; and the doctor and scientist Francesc Palau Martínez, in the category of best professional career in the field of these rare diseases.

AELMHU also wanted to give special recognition to the Mehuer Foundation by awarding them this year's honorary prize for their commitment to social knowledge and the promotion of research in the field of HR.

The Association is strengthened thanks to the incorporation of four new members: Ferrer, GenSight Biologics, Insmed and UCB, consolidating its influence and representativeness in Spain in the field of orphan and ultra-orphan drugs, indicated for patients with rare diseases.

Together with these new companies, the Association claims to be a reference in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector and emphasizes its commitment to contribute to improving the situation and quality of life of people and families suffering from rare diseases, promoting the knowledge of their pathologies and the recognition of the therapeutic and social value of orphan drugs.

The evaluation of orphan drugs is delaying access to innovation for Spanish patients with Rare Diseases (RD). This is the main conclusion drawn from the first Analysis of the Therapeutic Positioning Reports of HMPs produced in our country. A pioneering project developed by the Spanish Association of Orphan and Ultra-Orphan Drug Laboratories (AELMHU) in its aim to provide the largest number of data and access indicators in Spain.

Although all orphan drugs pass an exhaustive analysis by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), in which the agencies of the different Member States participate, when they arrive in our country they begin a long process of re-evaluation in which the Spanish institutions re-examine their efficacy, as well as the budgetary impact they cause.

As the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) itself has been demanding, it is necessary to provide this body with sufficient financial and human resources to deal with a huge volume of dossiers that is growing every year.

Executive Summary

Infographic of the Report

The Spanish Association of Orphan and Ultra-Orphan Medicines Laboratories (AELMHU) has re-elected María José Sánchez Losada as President, following elections to its Board of Directors. This re-election means continuing with the project to improve the quality of life of patients with rare diseases, promoting the therapeutic and social value of orphan drugs.

The new Board of Directors is completed with José Luis Moreno Sánchez, as vice-president; David Moreno Alforcea, secretary and member; Sergio Bullón Avendaño, as treasurer and member; and Jordi Casals Ferragut, as member.

Once again, on 20 May, on the occasion of World Clinical Trials Day, the Spanish Association of Orphan and Ultra-Orphan Drug Laboratories (AELMHU) presents its Annual Report on Clinical Trials in Rare Diseases in Spain.

This report shows that Spain continues to exponentially increase its commitment to research in clinical trials focused specifically on rare diseases, with 225 studies authorised. This means that 23% of new studies are focused on rare diseases.

On the occasion of World Rare Disease Day, the Spanish Association of Orphan and Ultra-Orphan Drug Laboratories (AELMHU) has presented its Annual Report on Access to Orphan Drugs in Spain, which analyses the evolution and current situation of orphan drugs in Spain.

The report reveals that in 2021 there has been an improvement in access, approval times and funding of orphan drugs, compared to the previous year when the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was felt. In the last year, 14 new orphan drugs have been included in the National Health System (NHS), compared to 5 approved in 2020, bringing the current number of orphan drugs funded to 56.

Despite these ratios, only 50% of the orphan drugs that have arrived in our country are financed by the NHS, a very similar proportion to that which has been maintained in recent years (48% in 2019 and 46% in 2020). The average time to obtain such funding has been 24 months, 11 months less than in 2020, although the average is still far from the 14 months of 2019.

The Spanish Association for Orphan and Ultra-Orphan Medicinal Products (AELMHU) held its 10th Anniversary Honorary Awards Ceremony on Thursday, which highlighted the recognition of Andalusia and Extremadura as the pioneering regions in the creation of an autonomous strategy for rare diseases in Spain, developed in 2008 and 2010, respectively.

Mª Jesús Lamas, Director of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), opened the awards ceremony and the former Minister of Health and Second Vice-President of Congress, Ana Pastor, closed the event.

María José Sanchez, Managing Director of CSL Behring , has been appointed as the new president of the Spanish Association of Orphan and Ultra Orphan Drug Laboratories (AELMHU), replacing Jorge Capapey, VP, Head of Commercial CEMEA at Alnylam, who will remain on the board as Vice President.

He will also be supported on the board by the vice-chairs: Leticia Beleta, General Manager of Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease in Spain, David Moreno, General Manager of PTC Therapeutics in Spain.