Company Description
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapies for serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases. According to multiple company disclosures, Ultragenyx has built a diverse portfolio of approved medicines and product candidates that target diseases with high unmet medical need and clear biology, where there are typically no approved therapies that treat the underlying cause of disease.
Ultragenyx describes itself as a global commercial company with multiple products generating revenue growth. Its medicine portfolio, as outlined in available information, includes Crysvita, Dojolvi, and Mepsevii, along with commercial revenue from Evkeeza in territories outside the United States. Crysvita is indicated for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) in adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older. Mepsevii is indicated in pediatric and adult patients for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis VII. Dojolvi is reported as a revenue-generating product in company financial updates. Ultragenyx states that it has four approved products contributing to commercial revenue.
The company is also advancing a late-stage and gene therapy pipeline. Its programs include DTX401, an AAV gene therapy (pariglasgene brecaparvovec) for glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa); UX111 (rebisufligene etisparvovec), an AAV gene therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA); UX701 (rivunatpagene miziparvovec), an AAV gene therapy for Wilson disease; UX143 (setrusumab), a monoclonal antibody for osteogenesis imperfecta; and GTX-102 (apazunersen), an antisense oligonucleotide for Angelman syndrome. These programs are described in company press releases and Form 8-K filings as being in Phase 3 or other advanced clinical stages.
Business focus and therapeutic areas
Ultragenyx concentrates on serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases, including metabolic, skeletal, and neurogenetic conditions. The company emphasizes diseases with clear biology and high unmet medical need, where existing management often relies on symptomatic care rather than disease-modifying therapies. Examples from its disclosures include:
- X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH), treated with Crysvita.
- Mucopolysaccharidosis VII, treated with Mepsevii.
- Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa), a rare, serious, and life-threatening inborn error of carbohydrate metabolism targeted by DTX401.
- Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a group of genetic disorders impacting bone metabolism, targeted by UX143.
- Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA), targeted by UX111.
- Angelman syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disorder targeted by GTX-102.
- Wilson disease, targeted by UX701.
In its public statements, Ultragenyx notes that many of these conditions have no globally approved therapies that address the underlying disease process. Its product candidates are designed to intervene at the genetic, enzymatic, or molecular level, as reflected in descriptions of AAV gene therapies, monoclonal antibodies, and antisense oligonucleotides.
Commercial model and collaborations
Ultragenyx reports revenue from product sales and royalties. In financial updates, the company details revenue contributions from Crysvita, Dojolvi, Evkeeza, and Mepsevii. Crysvita revenue includes product sales in Latin America and Türkiye and royalty revenue from the United States, Canada, and Europe. Ultragenyx also discloses a collaboration and license agreement with Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. for Crysvita, under which Kyowa Kirin leads commercialization in certain major markets, while Ultragenyx leads in others, including Latin America and Türkiye.
The company has entered into royalty financing arrangements with OMERS, a large pension plan, involving a portion of future North American royalties on Crysvita. An 8-K filing describes a Royalty Purchase Agreement under which OMERS paid $400 million in cash for rights to an additional percentage of future royalty payments on Crysvita net sales in the United States and Canada, subject to a cap based on a multiple of the purchase price. Ultragenyx states that proceeds from this transaction are intended to bolster its balance sheet and support expected product launches.
Pipeline development and regulatory strategy
Ultragenyx emphasizes time- and cost-efficient drug development, with the goal of delivering safe and effective therapies to patients with urgency. Its regulatory strategy includes the use of rolling Biologics License Application (BLA) submissions and engagement with regulatory designations intended to expedite development.
For DTX401 in GSDIa, the company has initiated and completed a rolling BLA submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), based on data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 study and longer-term follow-up. Company communications report statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in daily cornstarch intake, maintenance of glycemic control, and improvements in patient-reported quality of life, with an acceptable safety profile.
For UX111 in Sanfilippo syndrome type A, Ultragenyx received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the FDA requesting additional information and improvements related to chemistry, manufacturing, and controls and observations from manufacturing facility inspections. The company reports that clinical data were viewed as robust and that it plans to resubmit the BLA after addressing the requested items and including updated clinical data.
For GTX-102 in Angelman syndrome, Ultragenyx reports that the Phase 3 Aspire study is fully enrolled and that the first patient has been dosed in the Aurora study, which expands evaluation to additional genotypes and age groups. GTX-102 has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Orphan Drug Designation, Rare Pediatric Disease Designation, and Fast Track Designation from the FDA, as well as Orphan and PRIME designations from the European Medicines Agency, according to company disclosures.
For UX701 in Wilson disease, the company is conducting the pivotal Cyprus2+ study, including a dose-finding stage with multiple cohorts. Ultragenyx reports completion of enrollment in a cohort receiving a higher dose with an immunomodulation regimen, with data expected from this study according to its press releases.
Clinical data highlights
Ultragenyx provides detailed clinical data in its press releases and 8-K filings. For DTX401 in GSDIa, the company describes:
- A Phase 3 study that met its primary endpoint, with patients treated with DTX401 experiencing a greater reduction in daily cornstarch intake compared to placebo at Week 48 while maintaining glycemic control.
- At Week 96, both the originally treated group and a crossover group achieved substantial mean reductions in daily cornstarch intake, with maintained low levels of hypoglycemia, improved euglycemia, and improved fasting tolerance.
- Improvements in patient-reported quality of life, including reductions in disease burden and functional improvements in physical, social, and daily regimen impacts.
- An acceptable safety profile, with anticipated hepatic reactions managed with prophylactic corticosteroids and no observed AAV8 class effects such as dorsal root ganglion toxicity, malignancy, or thrombotic microangiopathy through Week 96.
For UX143 in osteogenesis imperfecta, Ultragenyx reports results from the Phase 3 Orbit and Cosmic studies. Neither study achieved its primary endpoint of reduction in annualized clinical fracture rate compared to placebo or bisphosphonates, but both achieved secondary endpoints of improvements in bone mineral density with strong statistical significance. The company notes that it is conducting additional analyses on bone health and clinical endpoints to assess next steps for the program.
In Angelman syndrome, Ultragenyx highlights preliminary evidence from earlier studies of GTX-102 that supported Breakthrough Therapy Designation, including developmental gains and improvements across multiple symptom domains when treated over extended periods. The Aspire and Aurora studies are designed to evaluate efficacy and safety across defined age ranges and genotypes, with primary endpoints focused on cognitive and multi-domain functional outcomes.
Corporate strategy and financial context
Ultragenyx repeatedly states that its strategy is predicated on time- and cost-efficient drug development, with urgency in delivering therapies to patients. The company emphasizes a management team experienced in the development and commercialization of rare disease therapeutics. In financial updates, Ultragenyx describes itself as having multiple products generating revenue growth and outlines expectations for additional potential product approvals and launches based on its late-stage pipeline.
In its financial reports and related press releases, Ultragenyx provides revenue breakdowns by product, including Crysvita, Dojolvi, Evkeeza, and Mepsevii, and discusses operating expenses, net loss, and cash and investments balances. The company has also communicated guidance ranges for total revenue and product-specific revenue and has discussed its path toward full-year GAAP profitability in a future period. It has described plans to implement significant expense reductions following UX143 study results, as part of its broader financial planning.
Regulatory and designation landscape
Ultragenyx’s programs have received multiple regulatory designations that reflect the seriousness of the targeted conditions and the potential of the investigational therapies. For example, DTX401 has been granted Rare Pediatric Disease designation, orphan drug designation, Fast Track designation, and regenerative medicine advanced therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. FDA, as well as orphan drug and PRIME designations from the European Medicines Agency. GTX-102 has been granted Breakthrough Therapy, Orphan Drug, Rare Pediatric Disease, and Fast Track designations by the FDA, and Orphan and PRIME designations by the EMA.
These designations are intended to facilitate the development and review of therapies for serious or life-threatening diseases and may provide benefits such as expedited review and additional regulatory interaction. Ultragenyx references these designations as part of its overall development and regulatory strategy.
Stock information and sector classification
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol RARE. Based on the provided classification, it operates in the Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing industry within the broader Manufacturing sector. The company’s disclosures characterize it as a biopharmaceutical company with a focus on rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases, integrating commercial operations with a research and development pipeline that includes gene therapies, monoclonal antibodies, and antisense oligonucleotides.
FAQs about Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (RARE)
- What does Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. do?
Ultragenyx is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases. It has a portfolio of approved medicines and product candidates that target diseases with high unmet medical need and clear biology, where there are typically no approved therapies treating the underlying disease.
- Which products are part of Ultragenyx’s commercial portfolio?
According to company disclosures, Ultragenyx’s medicine portfolio includes Crysvita, Dojolvi, Mepsevii, and revenue from Evkeeza in certain territories. The company has stated that it has four approved products contributing to its commercial revenue.
- What conditions does Crysvita treat?
Crysvita is indicated for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) in adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older. Ultragenyx reports revenue from Crysvita through product sales in certain regions and royalties from sales in other territories under a collaboration with Kyowa Kirin.
- What rare diseases are targeted by Ultragenyx’s pipeline programs?
Ultragenyx’s pipeline targets several rare genetic diseases, including glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa) with DTX401, Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA) with UX111, osteogenesis imperfecta with UX143, Angelman syndrome with GTX-102, and Wilson disease with UX701. These programs are described in company press releases and SEC filings.
- How is Ultragenyx involved in gene therapy?
Ultragenyx is developing multiple AAV gene therapy programs, including DTX401 for GSDIa, UX111 for Sanfilippo syndrome type A, and UX701 for Wilson disease. The company has reported Phase 3 data for DTX401 and is pursuing or planning regulatory submissions for these gene therapy candidates.
- What is Ultragenyx’s approach to Angelman syndrome?
Ultragenyx is developing GTX-102 (apazunersen), an investigational antisense oligonucleotide for Angelman syndrome. The company has a fully enrolled Phase 3 Aspire study focused on patients with a full maternal UBE3A gene deletion and is conducting the Aurora study to evaluate GTX-102 in additional genotypes and age groups.
- How does Ultragenyx describe its development strategy?
Ultragenyx states that its strategy is based on time- and cost-efficient drug development, with the goal of delivering safe and effective therapies to patients with urgency. The company highlights a management team experienced in rare disease therapeutics and emphasizes focusing on diseases with clear biology and high unmet medical need.
- What financial arrangements has Ultragenyx made around Crysvita royalties?
Ultragenyx has entered into royalty purchase agreements with OMERS involving a portion of its future royalty interest on Crysvita net sales in the United States and Canada. In a disclosed transaction, OMERS paid $400 million in cash for rights to an additional share of future royalty payments, subject to a cap based on a multiple of the purchase price.
- What industry and sector is Ultragenyx classified under?
Ultragenyx is classified in the Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing industry within the Manufacturing sector. It describes itself as a biopharmaceutical company focused on rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases.
- On which exchange does Ultragenyx trade and what is its ticker symbol?
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. trades on the NASDAQ stock market under the ticker symbol RARE.