Nov 3, 2026 —
Ultragenyx will lay off about 20% of its workforce and discontinue its gene therapy for Wilson disease, its second round of cuts this year. The move follows a quarter that brought two FDA approvals but also a major setback in Angelman syndrome.
Wilson disease is a rare disorder of copper metabolism; Ultragenyx’s AAV gene therapy for it will be dropped as the company narrows its pipeline. Gene therapy developers have faced a tougher capital and commercial environment, pushing even established players to prioritize.
The cuts are a reminder that a deep pipeline and recent approvals don’t insulate gene therapy companies from hard portfolio choices.
