Genzyme's patient focus led us to pioneer therapeutic treatments for rare genetic diseases known as lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). We now have three marketed LSD products, and a fourth has entered the regulatory approval process. Our continued success is based on our ability to meet medical needs and our global commitment to patient care.

With our leadership in diseases that affect small numbers of patients comes a responsibility to reach all patients. Because there is little awareness of these conditions, we work to educate physicians and target patient populations, together with establishing patient registries and centers of excellence. We believe that effective treatment demands diagnostics as well as therapeutics, so we have funded the development of improved newborn screening tests for the medical community. Because these diseases need to be managed closely to ensure compliance and optimal outcomes, we are working with leading physicians on a disease management approach, by which they monitor each patient's progress according to an established set of therapeutic goals. This approach is especially important because of the wide variability in each patient's symptoms and severity of disease. Genzyme continues to innovate, perhaps even to replace our own successful treatments with newer options such as oral therapies and ultimately gene therapy. Since drugs for very rare diseases are expensive to develop and cannot attain the volume to reduce costs, we will continue to work with governments and insurers to demonstrate their value to patients and society.