SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Aug. 19, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq:BMRN) today announced that it has been ranked 10th on Forbes magazine's 2015 list of the "World's Most Innovative Companies." This is the second consecutive year that BioMarin has received the recognition, reinforcing the company's promise to deliver new therapeutics to patients with severe or life-threatening diseases. The company was previously ranked seventh.

Rankings are based on what Forbes calls the companies' "innovation premium," the difference between their market capitalization and a net present value of cash flows from current businesses. Forbes' method relies on investors' ability to identify companies they expect to be innovative now and in the future. The recognition only includes businesses that have at least seven years of financial data and a market value greater than $10 billion, and have measurable investment in research and development.

"We are honored to be recognized by Forbes for the second year in a row for our continued commitment to innovating and advancing treatment for patients with rare conditions," said Jean-Jacques Bienaimé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BioMarin. "Acknowledgement as one of the 'World's Most Innovative Companies' is a testament to the BioMarin team around the globe who remain focused on the development of therapies that are first or best in class for patients with few, if any, treatment options."

To view the complete list, visit http://www.forbes.com/innovative-companies/list/.

About BioMarin

BioMarin develops and commercializes innovative biopharmaceuticals for serious diseases and medical conditions. The company's product portfolio comprises five approved products and multiple clinical and pre-clinical product candidates. Approved products include Vimizim® (elosulfase alfa) for MPS IVA, a product wholly developed and commercialized by BioMarin; Naglazyme® (galsulfase) for MPS VI, a product wholly developed and commercialized by BioMarin; Aldurazyme® (laronidase) for MPS I, a product which BioMarin developed through a 50/50 joint venture with Genzyme Corporation; Kuvan® (sapropterin dihydrochloride) Powder for Oral Solution and Tablets, for phenylketonuria (PKU), developed in partnership with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany and Firdapse® (amifampridine), which has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS). Product candidates include drisapersen, an exon skipping oligonucleotide, for which a marketing application has been submitted to FDA and EMA for the treatment of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with mutations in the dystrophin gene that are amenable to treatment with exon 51 skipping, pegvaliase (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase, formerly referred to as BMN 165 or PEG PAL), which is currently in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of PKU, talazoparib (formerly referred to as BMN 673), a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, which is currently in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of germline BRCA breast cancer, reveglucosidase alfa (formerly referred to as BMN 701), a novel fusion protein of insulin-like growth factor 2 and acid alpha glucosidase (IGF2-GAA), which is currently in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of Pompe disease, vosoritide (formerly referred to as BMN 111), a modified C-natriuretic peptide, which is currently in Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of achondroplasia, BMN 044, BMN 045 and BMN 053, exon skipping oligonucleotides, which are currently in Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (exons 44, 45 and 53), cerliponase alfa (formerly referred to as BMN 190), a recombinant human tripeptidyl peptidase-1 (rhTPP1) for the treatment of CLN2 disorder, a form of Batten disease, which is currently in Phase 1, BMN 270, an AAV-factor VIII vector, for the treatment of hemophilia A and BMN 250, a novel fusion of alpha-N-acetyglucosaminidase (NAGLU) with a peptide derived from insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), for the treatment of MPS IIIB.

For additional information, please visit www.BMRN.com. Information on BioMarin's website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

BioMarin®, VIMIZIM®, Naglazyme®, Kuvan®, Firdapse® are registered trademarks of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Aldurazyme® is a registered trademark of BioMarin/Genzyme LLC.

CONTACT: Investors:

         Traci McCarty

         BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

         (415) 455-7558

         

         Media:

         Debra Charlesworth

         BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

         (415) 455-7451