orphan drug

American  

noun

1. Pharmacology.  a drug that remains undeveloped or untested or is otherwise neglected because of limited potential for commercial gain.

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Etymology

Origin of orphan drug

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

"They are essentially buying an orphan drug portfolio," Yaron Werber, an analyst at TD Cowen, told Reuters.

From Reuters

The FDA gave Tepezza “orphan drug” status, which comes with financial incentives and exclusive marketing, benefits that are intended to encourage drugmakers to develop rare disease treatments.

From Seattle Times

Libmeldy is a so-called orphan drug - a pharmaceutical agent developed to treat a medical condition which, because it is so rare, may not be profitable to produce without some form of government assistance.

From BBC

Two years after this child got her diagnosis, the Food and Drug Administration approved an orphan drug designed specifically for this disorder, called burosumab.

From New York Times

Spark Therapeutics, the company that makes Luxturna, estimates that about 6,000 people worldwide and between 1,000 and 2,000 in the U.S. may be eligible for its treatment—few enough that Luxturna was granted “orphan drug” status, a designation that the FDA uses to incentivize development of treatments for rare diseases.

From Scientific American