▁of ▁Sp in ra za ▁( Bi ogen ), ▁F DA ▁approved ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁for ▁sp inal ▁mus cular ▁at ro phy , ▁placing ▁a ▁large ▁amount ▁of ▁stress ▁on ▁ins urance ▁companies ▁and ▁patients . ▁An ▁analysis ▁of ▁ 1 2 ▁or phan ▁dru gs ▁that ▁were ▁approved ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁estimated ▁a ▁price ▁reduction ▁of ▁on ▁average ▁ 5 0 % ▁upon ▁loss ▁of ▁market ing ▁exclus ivity , ▁with ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁price ▁redu ctions ▁from ▁ 1 4 % ▁to ▁ 9 5 %. ▁ ▁Govern ments ▁have ▁implemented ▁steps ▁to ▁reduce ▁high ▁research ▁and ▁development ▁cost ▁with ▁subs id ies ▁and ▁other ▁forms ▁of ▁financial ▁assistance . ▁The ▁largest ▁assistance ▁are ▁tax ▁breaks ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁research ▁and ▁development ▁costs . ▁Or phan ▁drug ▁manufact ur ers ▁are ▁also ▁able ▁to ▁take ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁small ▁customer ▁base ▁to ▁cut ▁cost ▁on ▁clin ical ▁tri als ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁cases ▁to ▁have ▁smaller ▁tri als ▁which ▁reduces ▁cost . ▁These ▁smaller ▁clin ical ▁tri als ▁also ▁allow ▁or phan ▁dru gs ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁market ▁faster ▁as ▁the ▁average ▁time ▁to ▁receive ▁F DA ▁appro val ▁for ▁an ▁or phan ▁drug ▁is ▁ 1 0 ▁months ▁compared ▁to ▁ 1 3 ▁months ▁for ▁non - orph an ▁dru gs . ▁This ▁is ▁especially ▁true ▁in ▁the ▁market ▁for ▁cancer ▁dru