Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that causes red blood cells to form in a crescent moon shape. These sickled blood cells can stick together and prevent oxygen from getting to a person's tissues and organs. SCD is inherited when someone gets two copies of a gene that codes for an abnormal haemoglobin. SCD is usually diagnosed with a blood test; in some countries, this test is part of routine newborn screening tests. These tests have helped reduce mortality in babies born with SCD. According to GlobalData's epidemiology forecast for the 16 major markets (16MM: the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, and South Korea), the burden of SCD was estimated at approximately 400,000 diagnosed prevalent cases in 2025. Current therapies primarily offer symptomatic relief, but not a cure.
