VANCOUVER, British Columbia and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novelion Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:NVLN) (TSX:NVLN), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing new standards of care for individuals living with rare diseases, today announced today its alliance with the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), Rare Diseases Europe (EURORDIS), Canadian Organization of Rare Disorders (CORD), and The Global Genes Project in observance of the annual Rare Disease Day.
Chief Executive Officer Mary Szela commented, “Today we join with others in the community to raise awareness of rare diseases. We are mindful of the challenges these patients, their families and caregivers face daily, and we are motivated by a passion to support advocacy and the development of treatments for these rare diseases.”
In the United States, a rare disease is defined as one that affects fewer than 200,000 persons. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there are nearly 7,000 rare diseases affecting nearly 30 million Americans. Rare Disease Day was established by EURORDIS and was first observed in Europe in 2008. In 2009, EURORDIS partnered with NORD for this initiative in the U.S. For more information about Rare Disease Day, visit www.rarediseaseday.us or www.rarediseaseday.org.
About Novelion Therapeutics
Novelion Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing new standards of care for individuals living with rare diseases. The company seeks to advance its portfolio of rare disease therapies by investing in science and clinical development. Novelion has a diversified commercial portfolio through its indirect subsidiary, Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which includes MYALEPT® and JUXTAPID®, and is also developing zuretinol acetate for the potential treatment of inherited retinal disease caused by underlying mutations in RPE65 or LRAT genes.