Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical LLC
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
Biotech veteran Emil Kakkis founded Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical LLC to develop treatments for rare disorders. First up: a potential therapy for hereditary inclusion body myopathies. There are several variants of this neuromuscular disorder, which causes progressive muscle weakness. By the end of the disease course, patients can be almost quadriplegic in terms of motor function. Ultragenyx is betting it can help restore muscle function in people diagnosed with HIBM by providing a continuous and steady source of sialic acid, likely through thrice-daily oral administration.