Drug Repurposing: Finding New Uses for Old Medicines in Rare Diseases

For millions living with rare diseases, the biggest challenge isn’t diagnosis — it’s finding effective treatment. Developing a new drug can take over a decade and cost billions, often making it impractical for small patient populations. Drug repurposing offers a faster, lower-risk solution by identifying new uses for existing, safety-tested medications. This approach has already transformed drugs originally developed for other conditions into life-changing therapies for rare genetic, metabolic, and neurodegenerative disorders.