NOVATO, Calif., April 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) today released its 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report, which showcases the company’s efforts to transform the lives of individuals and families impacted by rare and ultrarare diseases, empower its employees, and make a meaningful impact on the communities it partners with.

“In rare disease, corporate responsibility means pushing for progress and change to support drug development and access for the people and families waiting for proper care,” said Emil Kakkis, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Ultragenyx. “Our 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report highlights the commitment and drive of our team to do the right thing for people living with rare disease while advancing our efforts to contribute meaningfully to the communities where we work and live.”

The company’s Corporate Responsibility program is structured around six key pillars – Innovation, Patients, People, Communities, Planet and Governance – aligned with its vision to lead the future of rare disease medicine and its mission to transform the lives of people with rare disease. The 2023 Ultragenyx Corporate Responsibility Report features updates for all six pillars, as well as Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indices. For the full report and more on Ultragenyx’s Corporate Responsibility efforts, visit https://www.ultragenyx.com/ultra-committed/corporate-responsibility/.

Highlights from Ultragenyx’s 2023 report include:

Innovation:

We are committed to delivering novel, disease-modifying treatments with speed and urgency to rare disease communities with limited or no treatment options.

• Opened a state-of-the-art Gene Therapy Manufacturing Facility (GTMF) in Bedford, Massachusetts
• Advanced six key clinical programs to treat rare and ultrarare diseases, including osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), Angelman syndrome, Wilson disease, Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA), glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa) and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency

Patients:

Ultragenyx is committed to supporting the rare disease community through our efforts to develop novel therapies, share our science and expertise, achieve broad access to screening and treatment, and partner with policymakers for meaningful change.

• More than 4,700 patients have received Ultragenyx treatments through commercial or expanded access in more than 50 countries as of December 2023
• Successfully advocated for the inclusion of more rare diseases in newborn screening (NBS) programs across several U.S. states

People:

Ultragenyx is committed to working to maintain a diverse, inclusive, safe and healthy environment. The company is also committed to fair and equitable compensation practices that are transparent and free from bias.

• More than half of our new U.S. hires self-reported as members of diverse populations
• Successfully implemented an enhanced and bespoke framework for evaluating and rewarding performance

Communities:

Ultragenyx is committed to supporting initiatives that provide meaningful impact for the rare disease community; public health and access to care; Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education; and local, at-risk communities.

• Approved more than $2.5 million in charitable donations, independent medical education and health-related grants across 21 countries
• Launched inaugural Ultragenyx Days of Service in the U.S., Canada, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Latin America regions, with employees completing more than 30 service projects around the world

Planet:

Ultragenyx is committed to developing an environmental strategy that minimizes its environmental footprint across its business.

• Purchased 100% renewable electricity for our corporate headquarters campus in Novato, California
• Launched My Green Lab certification pilot program at our Translational Sciences lab in Novato, California

Governance:

The foundation of Ultragenyx's purpose to lead the future of rare disease medicine is built upon its commitments to strong corporate governance, ethics and integrity, compliance, data protection and security, and responsible procurement.

• ~90% of survey responders to the annual compliance culture survey stated that the annual compliance training is adequate for them to confidently execute their responsibilities
• Published a formal Global Human Rights policy

Ultragenyx Recognized with Several Awards in 2023 and 2024

Ultragenyx’s initiatives in corporate responsibility were recognized in 2023 with S&P Global Ratings ranking the company fifth in North America and eighth globally across the biotech industry, and Sustainalytics assigning an improved Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) “Low Risk” rating.

Additionally, in 2023 Ultragenyx was named one of the Top Places to Work by the Boston Globe for the second consecutive year and received Cultural Excellence Awards from Top Workplaces for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Practices, Appreciation, Employee Well-being and Professional Development. The company was also named one of the Best Places for Working Families® and was listed among the fast-growing companies in the Life Sciences industry on the 2023 Deloitte Technology Fast 500™, showcasing 250% revenue growth over the last 3 years. For 2024, U.S. News & World Report named Ultragenyx as one of the Healthcare’s Best Companies to Work.

About Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.

Ultragenyx is a biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing novel products to patients for the treatment of serious rare and ultrarare genetic diseases. The company has built a diverse portfolio of approved therapies and product candidates aimed at addressing diseases with high unmet medical need and clear biology for treatment, for which there are typically no approved therapies treating the underlying disease.

The company is led by a management team experienced in the development and commercialization of rare disease therapeutics. Ultragenyx’s strategy is predicated upon time- and cost-efficient drug development, with the goal of delivering safe and effective therapies to patients with the utmost urgency.

For more information on Ultragenyx, please visit the company's website at: www.ultragenyx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements and Use of Digital Media

This press release and the 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report and other materials cross-referenced in this press release contain statements that are aspirational or reflective of our views about the company’s future performance that constitute “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally identified through the inclusion of words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “aspire,” “believe,” commit,” “endeavor,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “seek,” “strive,” “target,” “will,” vision,” “mission,” “strategy,” “commitment” and “work,” or similar statements or variations of such terms and other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this document and the materials cross-referenced concern Ultragenyx’s goals, progress or expectations with respect to corporate responsibility, sustainability, patients, products, product candidates, employees, environmental matters, policy and business risks and opportunities. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted in such statements. These statements are based on numerous assumptions that the company believes are reasonable but are open to a wide range of uncertainties and business risks. In addition, these statements may be based on standards for measuring progress that are still developing, controls and processes that continue to evolve, and assumptions that are subject to change in the future. Consequently, actual results may vary materially from what is contained in a forward-looking statement.

For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Ultragenyx in general, see Ultragenyx’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 21, 2024, and its subsequent periodic reports filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements are aspirational and are not guarantees or promises that goals or targets will be met. Ultragenyx undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, and notwithstanding any historical practice of doing so. Ultragenyx may determine to adjust any goals and targets or establish new ones to reflect changes in its business. The information included in, and any issues identified as material for purposes of, the 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report may not be considered material for SEC reporting purposes. In the context of this report, the term “material” is distinct from, and should not be confused with, such term as defined for SEC reporting purposes.

In addition to its SEC filings, press releases and public conference calls, Ultragenyx uses its investor relations website and social media outlets to publish important information about the company, including information that may be deemed material to investors, and to comply with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Financial and other information about Ultragenyx is routinely posted and is accessible on Ultragenyx’s Investor Relations website (https://ir.ultragenyx.com/) and LinkedIn website (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ultragenyx-pharmaceutical-inc-/).

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