AstraZeneca India announced its entry into rare disease therapy in India. The company received regulatory approval for its ‘Selumetinib’ for patients in India.
Globally, more than 400 million people are affected by rare diseases, and currently, there are 7,000 identified and recorded rare diseases.
AstraZeneca has partnered the Organization of Rare Diseases in India (ORDI), a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of patients living with rare diseases.
Dr. Sanjeev Panchal, country president and managing director, AstraZeneca India, said, “We look forward to advancing this commitment and working with stakeholders to not only bring more innovative therapies for even more patients with rare diseases, but also develop a roadmap to augment early diagnosis and holistic care.”
The landscape of rare diseases is constantly evolving with new
diseases identified from time to time, but due to lack of awareness amongst the medical community and general public, it takes 7 years on an average to diagnose a rare disease correctly.
80% of all rare diseases have a genetic etiology. New molecular techniques and DNA sequencing technology have contributed significantly in identifying these diseases. The collaboration between AstraZeneca and ORDI aspires to leverage the latest in science to better support patients and their families in India.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
