Alexander Hardy’s Post

Making medicines that have the potential to alter the course of a devastating condition for children is one of our greatest privileges and honors here at BioMarin. Some weeks remind us of that profoundly. This week, after years of commitment and work from families, clinical trial participants and the teams at BioMarin, we received an expanded FDA approval to start treatment from birth in children with a rare, progressive and life-limiting condition for which there are no other treatment options. For the first time, families faced with this devastating diagnosis can start treatment earlier. Meeting families who face these difficult diagnoses so bravely is truly humbling and I am proud that we are able to offer new hope for these children.

I recently had the privilege to stand alongside leaders of our PRIDE employee resource group (ERG) as they raised the Pride flag on our campus in San Rafael (employees also raised a flag at other sites including Novato and Shanbally). Our PRIDE team has focused on the theme of allyship for BioMarin's recognition of #PrideMonth this year. I'm a firm believer in the important role allyship plays in creating space for people of all backgrounds and driving progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion. I also believe allyship can come in many forms - and I invite everyone to join me this Pride Month in reflecting on how you can show up as an ally for the LGBTQIA+ community.

“My hopes for the future is to bless everybody to be brave and don’t give up, even when it is hard.” Meeting the families impacted by our innovation and hearing their stories is what keeps our teams motivated – and it’s even better when you get a handwritten note to bring home. Some of our colleagues recently had the chance to meet the Davlins at their home in Louisiana, getting to know them and their 10-year-old daughter, Kennedy (KK), who penned the note shown below. We look forward to sharing more about KK and her family’s story in the future.

For nearly two decades, BioMarin's scientists have researched growth-related conditions. This story helps explain why our world-class scientists chose the approach they did. I'm inspired by what BioMarin has been able to accomplish for this community and excited about the work we're doing to continue to reach more children with growth-related conditions.

Last year I bumped into tennis legend Roger Federer on the streets of Zurich while I was on a business trip. He graciously stopped to chat and I was struck by how warm and genuine he was. Here was a fierce competitor who had conquered the tennis world, yet he was approachable, down to earth, and happy to pose for a picture with a random guy from the UK/California. I reflected on that encounter when last night I watched his commencement speech to the graduating class at Dartmouth on YouTube (I admit I am an avid consumer of graduation speeches!). He was again that kind, humble person and he also had some important lessons for the graduates that resonated with me. 1. “Effortless” Is a Myth: Federer debunked the notion that greatness comes effortlessly. He emphasized the years of hard work, dedication, and countless hours of practice that underpin success. 2. It’s Only a Point: Federer reminded the class to look beyond individual setbacks. In tennis, losing a point is inevitable, but it’s the bigger picture—the match—that matters. Similarly, in life, setbacks are mere points. I love data and he shared some great stats that supported his argument. He said that in his career he won almost 80% of his matches but only won 54% of the points. I recognize that I need to move beyond the loss of the last point and focus on the next one, and the match! 3. Life Is Bigger Than the Court: Federer’s most profound lesson was about perspective. He encouraged graduates to embrace life beyond their chosen fields. Just as tennis extends beyond the baseline, our lives encompass more than our professional achievements. Relationships, kindness, family and personal growth matter more. I observed over his career how Roger put his family first, sometimes turning up to tournaments groggy after being up at night with his twins. As a father of twins myself (now aged 24), that’s something I can relate to and perhaps the one thing we have in common! For those who haven't seen it, here is a link to view Roger's speech: https://lnkd.in/gFFS3UZC. It's well-worth a watch!

This International Batten Disease Awareness Day, I'm thinking of Amanda and Abigail Beedle, whom we had the opportunity to meet at BioMarin's Rare Disease Day event in February. Hearing Amanda speak about her family's journey and witnessing her courage was incredibly moving and left a lasting impression on my understanding of this condition. I'm proud of the work BioMarin has done to support families like the Beedles, whose stories inspire all of us to do our best work. #BattenDay2024

I was delighted to spend some time this week at our London office getting to know colleagues there during a town hall meeting and employee roundtables. London is a key strategic site for BioMarin that contributes to many important aspects of our business, including R&D, market access, regulatory affairs and commercial. I grew up in London and have always loved the city for its creativity, multiculturalism and buzz – all of which are reflected in our BioMarin teams. I was energized by their passion and enthusiasm, and impressed by the strong emphasis on collaboration across our global organization.

I’m delighted to officially welcome Cristin Hubbard to BioMarin and to share this behind-the-scenes look at her first day, which included our weekly BioMarin Leadership Team meeting.

Today I join my colleagues at BioMarin and people around the world affected by mucopolysaccharidosis in recognizing International MPS Awareness Day. At our Rare Disease Day event in February, I had the chance to meet Carson, a young man living with MPS I who has earned support via our RARE Scholars program for his undergraduate studies. I really enjoyed hearing Carson’s story and meeting his family. Sending my best wishes as he graduates from San Diego State University. Congrats @Carson Cook! #MPSDay2024

After spending last weekend at the Pediatric Endocrine Society (PES) Annual Meeting in Chicago, I returned to the Bay Area and last week I had the opportunity to visit our manufacturing site in Novato. At PES, I met with the BioMarin team and the medical community, participating in discussions about the company’s potential to reach even more patients and to expand our trials into other growth-related conditions. The Novato visit felt like the perfect 'bookend' to those conversations in Chicago. I enjoyed meeting colleagues who work so hard to make treatment available to our patients and supply product for our planned trials, as we work to provide more options for children with growth-related conditions. I joined one stand-up meeting where the cross-functional team was striving to increase drug substance output to the maximum. They had a sign pasted up on the wall that read '1 gram of extra capacity supplies 4 patients for a year'. I was inspired by their dedication and professionalism.   I also got to kick off a Novato site exposition focused on operational excellence. I enjoyed hearing from the various presenters, who demonstrated tremendous expertise in industry-leading process science and a culture that stresses the importance of continuous improvement.   BioMarin was founded in Novato and over the company’s 27-year history, the site has launched and continues to produce both clinical and commercial products. I was impressed with the structured 'agile' operating model and the ability of the teams across the site to come together so collaboratively to support the patients we serve.    I look forward to many future visits!