Why are orphan drugs usually developed?

Orphan drugs are specifically developed to treat medical conditions that have limited therapeutic options. These conditions often affect a small percentage of the population, making it financially challenging for pharmaceutical companies to pursue their development under standard market conditions. The term "orphan" refers to these less common diseases, which might not attract sufficient investment compared to more prevalent conditions.

In many cases, these conditions are so rare that existing treatments may be inadequate or completely unavailable. Therefore, developing orphan drugs is crucial for addressing these unmet medical needs and providing patients with conditions like hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and certain types of cancer with effective treatment options. The development of orphan drugs can also be incentivized through various regulatory frameworks, which offer benefits such as tax credits, federal grants, and extended exclusivity periods to encourage investment in these areas.

The other options do not accurately represent the primary goal of orphan drug development. Meeting the needs of frequently occurring diseases does not align with the purpose of orphan drugs, which are, by definition, aimed at rare conditions. Innovating in mainstream pharmaceuticals usually pertains to more common illnesses with wider markets rather than niche treatments. Fulfilling regulatory requirements for all drugs does not capture the specific focus of orphan drugs on limited options for rare diseases.