BIAL, Portugal’s century-old biopharmaceutical champion, has become a founding member of the Orphan Therapeutics Accelerator (OTXL), a nonprofit biotech initiative launched in June 2024 to revive and advance treatments for ultra rare diseases.
In a statement released in April 2025, BIAL confirmed its commitment to help identify, develop, and commercialize two to three discontinued therapeutic programs that target ultra rare conditions. These are treatments that showed scientific promise but were shelved due to lack of funding, limited patient populations, or market feasibility. As Head of Rare Diseases at BIAL, Smitha Jagadish said, “There is a lot of promising science sitting on the sidelines that could be benefitting children. Our aim is to get more of these treatments back into clinical trials so they may deliver meaningful impact for patients.”
OTXL has assembled a network of specialized partners that includes contract research organizations, manufacturers, and AI-driven biotech platforms. Other founding members of the accelerator include Chiesi, DVLP Medicines, Landmark Bio, Uncommon Cures, and Vibe Bio.
BIAL’s involvement aligns with its established R&D focus in neurosciences and rare diseases. The company invests more than 20 percent of its annual revenues into research and development and operates scientific centers in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK, and the United States.
According to OTXL, the goal is to bring two to three lead programs into clinical development quickly. Revenue from any successful therapies will be reinvested to support new rare disease projects, creating a self-sustaining innovation cycle. The accelerator anticipates reaching financial sustainability within four to six years.
BIAL’s participation highlights a broader shift in pharmaceutical strategy toward collaborative, mission-driven approaches. Rather than pursuing only blockbuster drugs, companies like BIAL are helping build a more inclusive R&D model that gives hope to underserved patient populations.