Marshall Summar elutes to the role of the industry within the field of rare disease.

What role does the industry have within the field of rare disease?

One of the most interesting developments in the rare disease field is the role of industry. When you are working with industry and rare disease, you really are partners in doing that.

For some of the diseases we work with, there is no therapy. An industry partner may be providing us the only hope we have of taking care of our patient and from the patient's side, it's hope. It's about hope. It doesn't always work that way. It doesn't always mean that we're going to be able to find something that will fix or work or make their disease better. 

But the fact that someone is spending their treasure, spending their time, spending their effort, or even devoting their company to try to come up with a new therapy, a new way to treat a disease that gives those patients hope.
And sometimes that's all they've got.