NPS Receives Orphan Drug Designation in Europe

NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:NPSP) announced today that the European Commission has granted orphan drug designation to Natpara® for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism.
As quoted in the press release:

Natpara is a bioengineered replacement for endogenous parathyroid hormone (PTH) that NPS has developed for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism, a rare endocrine disorder in which the body produces insufficient levels of parathyroid hormone, a principal regulatory of the body’s mineral homeostasis. 
“Hypoparathyroidism patients face a significant burden of disease given the multitude of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms associated with this disorder. Natpara could be the first PTH replacement therapy to treat this condition,” said Francois Nader, MD, president and chief executive officer of NPS Pharmaceuticals.

Read the full press release by NPS Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:NPSP)