BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

The BioMarin Women’s Alliance (BWA) Ireland chapter celebrated Women’s History Month with a fireside chat featuring Geraldine Cregan, Vice President, Shanbally Operations, and Mary Leamy, Vice President, People, Global Technical Operations. This event marked the first gathering since the chapter's formation in October. Co-chairs Emma O'Leary and Katie Creedon led the discussion, exploring Ger and Mary’s career paths, significant decisions and professional achievements. The panelists offered insights on navigating the industry as women leaders and responded to attendees’ questions with honesty and openness. Thanks to Ger and Mary for sharing their experiences and congrats to BWA Ireland on the official launch of the new chapter.

"It’s been an incredible journey these past two decades as our research has not only helped enable advancements in achondroplasia, but opened the door for clinical trials in other skeletal conditions as well." Dr. Ravi Savarirayan, Group Leader of Skeletal Biology at Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne, Australia, has been at the forefront of research advancing care for children with skeletal conditions for more than 20 years. During a recent visit to our headquarters in San Rafael, Dr. Savarirayan spoke to our employees about why he has dedicated his career to improving the lives of people with skeletal dysplasias, progress over the past two decades and where he hopes to see the field go next. As we join the medical genetics community at #ACMGMtg25 this week, read an interview with Dr. Savarirayan to learn more about what he shared with us: https://bit.ly/4i69Ps5

Peptides are small chains of amino acids that act as messengers and building blocks throughout the body. Scientists and doctors can leverage peptides to interact with specific biological pathways in a targeted way. Take C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), for example. CNP is key to activating pathways that promote bone growth. Understanding how CNP functions has unlocked new insights into developing medicines for people with genetic skeletal conditions. We’re looking forward to discussing these advancements this week at #ACMGMtg25.

As Executive Director of Talent Acquisition, Johanna Lucas has spent more than a decade bringing outstanding individuals to BioMarin, helping build the teams needed to deliver breakthrough medicines for genetically defined conditions. Johanna is the first employee to be interviewed in our new series highlighting “The DNA of BioMarin” – our people. Drawing inspiration from the four bases that constitute DNA – A (adenine), T (thymine), C (cytosine) and G (guanine) – we’ve asked employees to reflect on the role the following concepts play in their everyday work: Aspiration, Translation, Connection and Gratitude. Learn more about Johanna’s career journey and her role in helping create a workplace and culture that lead to a profound impact for those counting on us: https://bit.ly/4huFItb #DNAofBioMarin

“Accessibility means access for all, adapted to the needs of everyone.” We were proud to support Rebeca Costa for the second year in her mission to make Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Carnival more inclusive and accessible for members of the dwarfism community and people with disabilities. Some of the improvements Rebeca championed this year included sign language, audio description for those who are visually impaired, accessible bathrooms, ramps, designated space for wheelchair users and stair-climbing chairs. We applaud Rebeca’s dedication to making this one-of-a-kind experience available to people of all abilities. Learn more about how Rebeca – a lawyer, influencer, consultant, podcast host and advocate – is using her voice and drawing on her lived experience to make her community more inclusive: https://bit.ly/4bGFzBE

The BioMarin Women’s Alliance (BWA) hosted a fireside chat with Cristin Hubbard, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, as part of our recognition of Women’s History Month. The conversation with BWA co-chair Carolina Amador, Ph.D., covered a range of topics through the lens of Cristin’s career journey, including the natural ebb and flow of progress and setbacks, the two-way street of mentorship, and the importance of supporting women’s health at home and in the workplace. BWA also incorporated educational segments into the event that highlighted progress toward workplace equity, as well as the significant disparities that still exist. As we recognize International Women’s Day, we’re thankful to BWA for organizing this event and continually working to #AccelerateAction in pursuit of greater gender equity.

As Women’s History Month kicks off, Emma Bolton, co-lead of the BioMarin Women’s Alliance, and Rebecca Millward, who is a core team member, are inspired to honor this year’s International Women’s Day theme, #AccelerateAction. We’re looking forward to an engaging month, including employee events, discussions with company leaders and opportunities to recognize some of the historical contributions of women scientists, inventors, artists and trailblazers.

We recognized #RareDiseaseDay by welcoming several members of the patient communities we serve to our San Rafael site to learn about their journeys. We welcomed Palmer, a 2-year-old girl living with achondroplasia; Cooper, a 12-year-old boy living with mucopolysaccharidosis IVA; and a young woman named Karlye, who is living with phenylketonuria. Our guests and their families graciously shared their experiences during a panel discussion, toured our labs and met with our teams who work every day to deliver impactful medicines for people with genetically defined conditions. We also heard from Dr. Ravi Savarirayan, Group Leader of Skeletal Biology at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia. He has long played a leading role in research focused on improving care and outcomes for children with skeletal dysplasias around the world. We are grateful that he spent the time sharing his insight and experience as a treating physician. It was an honor to host these individuals and deepen our understanding of their communities. Thank you to our guests for taking the time to connect with us. #ShowYourStripes #achondroplasia #MPS #PKU

We’re excited to now be accepting applications for our annual RARE Scholars program for the 2025-26 academic year. This year, we’re proud to announce we're doubling our investment in this program to increase our support of exceptional students as they navigate their college journeys. Since 2018, RARE Scholars has provided financial support to U.S. college students living with rare conditions, including #achondroplasia, #BattenDisease, #hemophiliaA, #MPS or #PKU, who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and engagement in school and community activities. Applications will be accepted through March 28. Apply today: https://bit.ly/4ifU9lK  #RareDiseaseDay #ShowYourStripes #BioMarinRAREscholars

We were proud to sponsor a panel on “Making Space for Tough Conversations in Achondroplasia” yesterday at The Boston Globe’s Rare Disease Summit. Kristen DeAndrade, Founder and President of The Little Legs Big Heart Foundation, moderated an insightful discussion with Kate McLeod, who is a parent to a child with #achondroplasia, and Boston Children's Hospital physicians Christina M. Jacobsen and Jennifer Arnold, both of whom care for people living with skeletal conditions. The speakers emphasized the need for more frequent honest and authentic conversations within the achondroplasia community, including around treatment. Thank you to all of the panelists for sharing their experiences and perspectives, and to The Boston Globe for partnering with us to create the opportunity for this important dialogue.   #RareDiseaseDay #ShowYourStripes