Emil Kakkis
,United States
Find Emil Kakkis's Email
Find Emil Kakkis’s PhoneEmil Kakkis's Overview
Dr. Emil D. Kakkis is a distinguished physician-scientist and a leading figure in the development of treatments for rare and ultra-rare diseases. He is the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, a company he established in 2010 with a mission to deliver novel therapies to patients with debilitating genetic conditions. With a combined M.D. and Ph.D. from the UCLA School of Medicine, his career is defined by a deep commitment to translating scientific breakthroughs into life-changing medicines. Prior to founding Ultragenyx, he was a key leader at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, where he pioneered the development of enzyme replacement therapies, including the first approved treatment for MPS I. Dr. Kakkis is also a prominent advocate for policy reform to support and accelerate the drug development process for rare diseases.
Professional Summary
Emil Kakkis's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:
Notable Achievements
Founder and CEO of Ultragenyx
Established Ultragenyx in 2010, building it into a leading biopharmaceutical company focused exclusively on developing and commercializing therapies for patients with rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases.
Pioneer in Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT)
Led the successful clinical development of Aldurazyme® (laronidase) for Mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) during his tenure at BioMarin, creating a new standard of care for this severe metabolic disorder.
Development of Crysvita® (burosumab)
Oversaw the development and approval of Crysvita®, a breakthrough treatment for X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) and tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO), which fundamentally changed the treatment paradigm for these conditions.
Advocate for Rare Disease Legislation
Actively influences U.S. policy to accelerate the development of therapies for rare diseases, contributing expert testimony and insights that helped shape key legislation like the 21st Century Cures Act.
Educational Background
MD/PhD, biological chemistry
UCLA - Year 1982
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Biology
Pomona College - Year 1978
Wilson High School of Long Beach CA - Year 1975
Buying Intent Signals for Emil Kakkis
Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right people at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.
Company Overview
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.Ultragenyx is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and delivering novel therapies for patients with serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases. The company has a diverse portfolio of approved medicines and product candidates aimed at addressing diseases with high unmet medical needs, for which the biology and symptomatology are well-characterized.
Highperformr's free tools for company research
Find contact info
Get verified emails, phone numbers, and LinkedIn profile details
Find similar contacts
Discover contacts with similar roles, seniority, or companies
Perform deep contact research
Uncover insights like skills, work history, social links, and more
Discover, research and enrich contacts with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster
Explore contacts in-depth — from verified emails and phone numbers to LinkedIn activity, job changes, and more — all in one powerful view.
Highperformr AI helps you surface the right people and enrich your CRM with live, accurate contact insights so your teams can connect faster and close smarter.
- Track signals like job change, promotion, and LinkedIn activity
- Enrich contacts with verified email, phone, and social data instantly
- Automate enrichment and updates with powerful workflows
- Sync enriched contact info directly into your CRM and tools
Thousands of contacts — including decision-makers, influencers, and ICP matches — are just a search away.
Thousands of companies, including, are just a search away.