Ultragenyx Announces Planned Transition of Chief Financial Officer

NOVATO, Calif., March 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. RARE, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel products for serious rare and ultra-rare diseases, today announced that Shalini Sharp will step down from her position as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President by September 2, 2020. At such time, Ms. Sharp plans to focus her time on her family and her role as an advisor and board member for various biotechnology companies. Ultragenyx will initiate a search for a successor, and Ms. Sharp will continue to serve as CFO until a replacement is found or until September 2, 2020. After that date, Ms. Sharp will stay on for six months to aid with the transition.

"Shalini's financial and strategic leadership has been a pillar of our tremendous progress. She joined as our first finance employee in 2012 and has successfully managed our financing through going public and beyond, as well as represented the company to investors," said Emil D. Kakkis, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Ultragenyx. "We are extremely grateful for her contributions in growing Ultragenyx from a small private company to a global, publicly-traded, biopharmaceutical company with multiple approved therapies and a robust pipeline. As she moves toward her transition, Shalini has put us in a strong financial position to continue to execute on our vision to bring therapies to patients with limited options."

Ms. Sharp joined Ultragenyx in 2012 and is responsible for the company's finance, investor relations, strategic planning, and information technology functions. She also serves on the board of directors of Neurocrine Biosciences, Sutro Biopharma, Precision Biosciences, and the TB Alliance. 

"It has been my profound privilege to help build this exceptional mission-driven, patient-focused rare disease company alongside a phenomenal team, including Emil, the executive team, and the finance team," said Ms. Sharp. "This decision is based on my personal desire to spend more time with my family, and I could not be more excited and optimistic about the future of Ultragenyx."

About Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.

Ultragenyx is a biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing patients novel products for the treatment of serious rare and ultra-rare 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.

Ultragenyx Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements related to Ultragenyx's expectations regarding plans for its clinical programs and clinical studies, future regulatory interactions, and the components and timing of regulatory submissions are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our clinical development programs, collaboration with third parties, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainties inherent in the clinical drug development process, such as the regulatory approval process, the timing of regulatory filings and approvals (including whether such approvals can be obtained), and other matters that could affect sufficiency of existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments to fund operations and the availability or commercial potential of our products and drug candidates. Ultragenyx undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. 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 filed on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 14, 2020, and its subsequent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:
Ultragenyx
Investors & Media
Danielle Keatley
415-475-6876
dkeatley@ultragenyx.com