Stories
Maintaining quality of life - even when faced with a rare disease
Around four million people in Germany live with one of the approximately 6,000 various rare diseases. These diseases are often genetically determined and run a chronic course. Those affected suffer from disability and/or limited life expectancies. Because there are so many different diseases, each affecting relatively few, it is often difficult to find a suitable treatment option.
Rare diseases & orphan drugs
Orphan drugs are most often biological, extremely sensitive and complex active substances. However, the systematic development of these drugs is challenging and, therefore, have often been less lucrative for pharmaceutical companies. This lack of profitability is quite often the reason why a treatment has yet been to be found for many diseases. It is also why it is all the more gratifying that in recent years greater attention has been paid to rare diseases. Today, more than 2,000 drug candidates in Europe are currently at the drug development stage. Among the 32 drugs with new active ingredients approved in Germany last year, 13 already have orphan drug status.
Our motivation
As a family-owned company headquartered in Ravensburg, Germany, Vetter supports both small and large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the development, production, and packaging of injectable drugs. The drugs we produce are used in many ways, not only in the treatment of widespread diseases such as multiple sclerosis or severe rheumatoid arthritis, but also to treat rare diseases such as hemophilia. The motivation of our currently more than 5,000 employees is to improve the quality of life of patients worldwide through their work. Together with our customers, we go to great lengths to help the so-called "orphans of medicine" and give them new perspective. That is why we also consider research into treatment options for rare diseases to be extremely important. We believe that every patient should have the chance to enjoy as high a quality of life as possible, even if their disease is quite rare. And, we are committed to this quest on a daily basis.
Rare Disease Day 2021
Rare Disease Day is held every year on the last day of February to raise awareness about rare diseases.
This year February 28 is International Rare Disease Day. Learn more about rare diseases and the people behind them. Visit the official website of Rare Disease Day: