NOVATO, Calif. — Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) today announced that it has resubmitted its Biologics License Application (BLA) seeking accelerated approval for UX111 (rebisufligene etisparvovec) AAV9 gene therapy as a treatment for patients with Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency). The submission contains substantial longer-term data on multiple measures of neurologic benefit to support an intermediate clinical endpoint for accelerated approval supported further by CSF heparan sulfate and other biomarker data, as agreed with the FDA during the last clinical review.
“Today, with no approved treatment options to address the relentless progression of Sanfilippo syndrome type A, families must watch helplessly as their children lose the ability to communicate, play, move, and even eat before ultimately succumbing to this devastating and fatal disease,” said Emil D. Kakkis, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer and president of Ultragenyx. “We recognize the extraordinary stakes facing the Sanfilippo community as they await a first-ever treatment option and look forward to working with the Agency as it completes its review of this urgently needed therapy. There is no time to waste, and we believe we have addressed all of the Agency’s concerns to avoid further delays. Patients, and their families, need access now.”
The resubmitted BLA includes comprehensive responses to chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC)-related observations outlined in a Complete Response Letter (CRL) issued in July 2025, as well as additional long-term clinical data from current patients as requested by the Agency in the CRL.
During its prior review, the FDA acknowledged that the neurodevelopmental outcome data are robust and that the biomarker data provide additional supportive evidence; updated clinical data included in the BLA representing an additional year of follow-up continue to show a durable treatment effect across multiple biomarkers and further clinical separation from natural history, while maintaining an acceptable safety profile. Detailed updates will be presented next week at the WORLDSymposium™ 2026 in San Diego.
In February 2025, the FDA granted the UX111 BLA Priority Review. A Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date is expected to be assigned within a month of resubmission. The company anticipates up to a 6-month review period from the date of resubmission per FDA regulations, with a PDUFA date expected in the third quarter of 2026. If approved, UX111 will be the first approved therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome type A.
About UX111 (rebisufligene etisparvovec)
UX111 (rebisufligene etisparvovec) is a novel in vivo AAV9 gene therapy in Phase 1/2/3 development for Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA), a rare fatal lysosomal storage disease with no approved treatment that primarily affects the brain. The therapy is designed to address the underlying sulfamidase (SGSH) enzyme deficiency responsible for abnormal accumulation of heparan sulfate, a glycosaminoglycan, in the brain that results in progressive cell damage and neurodegeneration. UX111 is dosed in a one-time intravenous infusion using a self-complementary AAV9 vector to deliver a functional copy of the SGSH gene to cells. These transduced cells then secrete the functional enzyme into the tissue fluid where it can be taken up by surrounding neurons and other cells. The enzyme is taken up efficiently into other cells and is then routed to the lysosome where it can reduce the accumulation of the heparan sulfate HS and prevent the progression of lysosomal storage and consequential injury that occurs in untreated patients. The product was originally developed by Abeona Therapeutics and transferred to Ultragenyx to complete development. The UX111 program has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy, Fast Track, Rare Pediatric Disease, and Orphan Drug designations in the U.S., and PRIME and Orphan medicinal product designations in the EU.
About Sanfilippo Syndrome Type A (MPS IIIA)
Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA) is a rare, fatal lysosomal storage disease with no approved treatment that primarily affects the brain and is characterized by rapid neurodegeneration, with onset in early childhood. Children with MPS IIIA present with global developmental delay which eventually leads to progressive cognitive, language and motor decline, behavioral abnormalities and early death. MPS IIIA is estimated to affect approximately 3,000 to 5,000 patients in commercially accessible geographies with a median life expectancy of 15 years. MPS IIIA is caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the SGSH gene that lead to a deficiency in the sulfamidase (SGSH) enzyme responsible for breaking down heparan sulfate, a glycosaminoglycans, which accumulate in cells throughout the body resulting in the observed rapid neurodegeneration that is associated with the disorder.
About Ultragenyx
Ultragenyx is a biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing novel products to patients 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.
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