A New Collaboration Focused on Rare Disease Diagnosis
Biopharmaceutical company Sanofi has announced that Biogen has joined accelRare, a free pre-diagnostic platform designed to help physicians identify rare diseases earlier.
The platform was developed through a collaboration between Sanofi, 13 Rare Disease Healthcare Networks, and French health-tech startup Medvir. With Biogen now joining the initiative, the partnership aims to strengthen efforts to reduce the long diagnostic journey faced by many rare disease patients in France.
This latest collaboration highlights a growing effort to bring together healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical companies, and technology innovators to improve access to earlier diagnosis and treatment.
The Ongoing Challenge of Rare Disease Diagnosis
Rare diseases affect millions of people around the world, yet diagnosing them remains one of the biggest challenges in healthcare.
In France alone, nearly 3 million people are living with a rare disease. More than half of these patients still do not have a precise diagnosis.
For many patients, the wait can be frustrating and life-changing. On average, it takes nearly four years to receive a diagnosis, while some patients remain undiagnosed for more than ten years.
These delays can prevent patients from receiving timely treatment, specialist care, and support services. Because of this, reducing diagnostic delays has become a major public health priority under France’s National Rare Disease Plans.
What Is accelRare?
accelRare is a free pre-diagnostic tool available to physicians across France.
The platform is designed to help doctors identify potential rare diseases earlier and guide patients toward the most appropriate specialist centers for further evaluation.
The tool combines:
By bringing these resources together, accelRare helps physicians recognize symptoms that may indicate a rare disease and supports faster referral to expert centers.
More Than 310 Rare Diseases Included
Since its launch in 2024, accelRare has continued to expand its capabilities.
Today, the platform can assist in identifying more than 310 rare diseases.
The adoption of the tool has already shown promising results. According to Sanofi, accelRare has supported more than 7,000 preliminary diagnoses since its introduction.
Healthcare professionals have also responded positively, with the platform receiving a physician satisfaction score of 4.54 out of 5.
These early results suggest that digital tools can play an important role in helping clinicians navigate the complexity of rare disease diagnosis.
How Biogen Will Contribute
As part of the collaboration, Biogen will help increase awareness of accelRare among healthcare professionals within its network.
The company will also contribute its expertise in rare diseases to help strengthen the platform’s capabilities.
One area of focus will be improving the identification of conditions such as Friedreich’s ataxia, a rare inherited neurological disorder that can be difficult to diagnose early.
Biogen’s involvement is also expected to help expand the number of diseases covered by the platform.
Expanding the Disease Portfolio
One of the key goals of the partnership is to enrich the platform’s diagnostic algorithm.
By leveraging Biogen’s scientific expertise and network of specialists, accelRare will be able to include additional rare diseases in its database.
Special attention will be given to diseases associated with a high risk of "loss of opportunity." These are conditions where an earlier diagnosis can significantly improve treatment outcomes and quality of life.
For patients living with these diseases, reducing diagnostic delays can make a major difference in long-term health outcomes.
Industry Leaders Highlight the Importance of Collaboration
Sanofi believes the success of accelRare demonstrates the value of collaboration across different parts of the healthcare ecosystem.
According to Laure Durand, Director of the Rare Diseases Franchise in France at Sanofi, the platform has already shown that cooperation between pharmaceutical companies, medical experts, and innovative technology firms can improve the patient journey.
She noted that Biogen’s participation is an important step toward the broader goal of bringing the entire pharmaceutical ecosystem together to reduce diagnostic delays for rare disease patients.
Biogen also emphasized the importance of collective action.
Thibaud Guymard, Director of Innovation, Services & Digital at Biogen France, stated that the partnership demonstrates how organizations can combine expertise to accelerate diagnosis, reduce delays, and limit missed opportunities for patients.
Medvir Continues to Drive Innovation
Medvir, the technology company behind accelRare, has played a central role in developing and expanding the platform.
According to Dominique Harrouet, CEO of Medvir, the company is proud to have helped initiate efforts to reduce diagnostic delays in rare diseases alongside Sanofi.
Following positive performance results and validation of the platform’s medical value, Medvir has begun opening accelRare to additional public and private healthcare stakeholders.
Biogen is the first new industry partner to join the initiative, and Medvir expects this collaboration to further expand the platform’s disease coverage and impact.
Looking Ahead
The addition of Biogen to the accelRare initiative marks another important step in improving rare disease diagnosis in France.
By combining medical expertise, advanced technology, and industry collaboration, the platform is helping physicians identify rare diseases earlier and connect patients with specialized care more quickly.
As the disease portfolio continues to expand and more healthcare organizations become involved, accelRare has the potential to play an increasingly important role in reducing diagnostic delays and improving outcomes for thousands of patients living with rare diseases.