ERDERA Partnership: a €380 million effort to transform rare disease research under Horizon Europe

The European Union, its Member States and countries associated to its research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, have joined forces in a new European Partnership on Rare Diseases (ERDERA). Launched under Horizon Europe, ERDERA’s aim is to transform the landscape of rare disease research across the continent and deliver significant health benefits to the estimated over 30 million people in Europe affected by rare diseases through improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

With nearly 180 partners from 37 countries, a 7-year duration and a total estimated budget of €380 million – of which approximately 150 will come from the European Union via Horizon Europe and the rest from EU Member States, countries associated to Horizon Europe and public and private partners - ERDERA is the largest co-funded partnership in the field of rare disease research and innovation.

This partnership will unite these entities and the broader research community to advance a shared vision outlined in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) of ERDERA. It aims to address unmet medical needs and enhance the coordination of European and national research programmes.

The Partnership has outlined several components of activities, including:

• Joint Transnational calls for interdisciplinary and collaborative research and innovation projects;
• Setting up of the Clinical research network to accelerate the clinical trials preparedness on rare diseases;
• Alignment and integration of national and European research plans;
• Knowledge and data sharing and analyses services;
• Enhancing international cooperation by supporting the Scientific Secretariat of the International Rare Disease Research Consortium (IRDiRC);
• Boost public-private research collaboration models;
• Capacity-building and training, for researchers, but also clinicians and patients. 

To align with the broader EU strategy on rare diseases research, ERDERA will host a launch event on 28 October, featuring contributions from representatives of the European Commission, Ministries of Health and Research, the ERDERA management and patient organisations. 

Further information can be found here.

Source: EU Commission