26 oktober 2026

How can EU-funded drug repurposing give patients with rare diseases access to medicines faster?

One in twelve people worldwide is affected by a rare disease, yet treatments exist for only 7% of these conditions. For most patients, there is no treatment at all and often not even the prospect of one. Could existing medicines help close that gap? Neth-ER spoke with Prof. Dr. Peter-Bram 't Hoen of Radboud university medical center and Prof. Dr. Clara van Karnebeek of Amsterdam University Medical Center, who coordinate the Horizon Europe project SIMPATHIC together. Their international consortium is finding new uses for existing medicines, with patients in the lead.