COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND) today provided a business and strategic roadmap update, including planned 2026 key corporate milestones. Ascendis President and CEO Jan Mikkelsen will present this update on Monday, January 12, during the 44^th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

“With our proven TransCon^® technology platform, strong R&D capabilities, and a maturing commercial infrastructure and financial profile, Ascendis is rapidly transforming into a leading global biopharma company,” said Jan Mikkelsen, President and Chief Executive Officer at Ascendis Pharma. “Over the next year, this inflection will be driven by further global penetration and commercial expansion, a third potential TransCon product approval with blockbuster potential, and an advancing R&D pipeline of highly differentiated internal and external TransCon product candidates, all of which create the foundation for sustainable long-term growth.”

Selected Key Updates and Milestones

• TransCon PTH 
  (palopegteriparatide, marketed as YORVIPATH^®)
  • YORVIPATH fourth-quarter 2025 and full-year 2025 unaudited preliminary revenue expected to be ~€187 million and ~€477 million, respectively.
  • More than 5,300 unique U.S. patient enrollments, with nearly 2,400 unique prescribing healthcare providers at year end.
  • Outside the U.S., now available commercially or through named patient programs in more than 30 countries, with full commercial launches anticipated in 10 additional countries by year end 2026.
  • Confirmed product profile for once-weekly TransCon PTH targeting patients receiving stable YORVIPATH doses.
  • Ongoing label expansion trials through PaTHway60 (adults) and PaTHway Adolescent.
• TransCon hGH 
  (lonapegsomatropin, marketed as SKYTROFA^®)
  • SKYTROFA fourth-quarter 2025 and full year 2025 unaudited preliminary revenue expected to be ~€53 million and ~€206 million, respectively.
  • Received first label expansion in July 2025 with U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for adult growth hormone deficiency (GHD).
  • Initiated Phase 3 basket trial for additional indications: idiopathic short stature (ISS), SHOX deficiency, Turner syndrome, and small for gestational age (SGA).
• TransCon CNP 
  (navepegritide)
  • In the U.S., PDUFA goal date of February 28, 2026 for pediatric achondroplasia.
  • Submitted marketing authorization application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in October 2025, with a regulatory decision on potential use in pediatric achondroplasia anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2026.
    
     
• TransCon CNP + TransCon hGH Combination Therapy
  (navepegritide plus lonapegsomatropin)
   
  • On January 8, 2026, announced Week 52 topline results from Phase 2 COACH Trial, which demonstrated improvements in annualized growth velocity (AGV) across both TransCon CNP treatment-naïve and TransCon CNP-treated children that exceeded the 97^th percentile of average stature children, along with improvements in body proportionality and arm span, and a safety profile consistent with those observed for monotherapies of TransCon CNP and TransCon hGH.
  • In Q4 2025, Ascendis submitted a protocol and held an end of Phase 2 meeting with the FDA regarding a Phase 3 trial of TransCon CNP and TransCon hGH in pediatric achondroplasia.
  • Week 78 COACH data update anticipated in second quarter of 2026.
  • Planned new trials to support TransCon CNP + TransCon hGH treatment in additional indications, such as hypochondroplasia.
     
• TransCon IL-2 β/γ
  (onvapegleukin alfa)
   
• • Expect to report median overall survival (OS) data for a cohort of 70 patients with late-line platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC) from the IL-Believe Trial of TransCon IL-2 β/γ + weekly paclitaxel in the second quarter of this year.

• Strategic Collaborations & Investments

  • Novo Nordisk A/S
    • Ongoing multi-product collaboration with Novo Nordisk for TransCon technology-based therapies in obesity and metabolic diseases.
    • Lead program TransCon semaglutide remains on track to enter the clinic as anticipated.
  • Eyconis, Inc.
    • Ascendis has granted Eyconis exclusive rights to develop and commercialize TransCon ophthalmology products globally and holds a 41% equity position in the company.
    • Lead program TransCon aVEGF (EYC-0305) in development for wet AMD and other retinal diseases anticipated to enter the clinic in 2026.
  • VISEN Pharmaceuticals
    • Ascendis has granted VISEN Pharmaceuticals exclusive rights to develop and commercialize TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH, and TransCon CNP in Greater China and maintains a 39% ownership interest in the public company.
    • Biologic License Application (BLA) for TransCon hGH (lonapegsomatropin) as a potential treatment for pediatric growth hormone deficiency (PGHD) was accepted by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in March 2024, with an approval decision anticipated in the first quarter of 2026.
  • Teijin Limited
    • Ascendis has granted Teijin Limited an exclusive license agreement for the further development and commercialization of TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH, and TransCon CNP for rare endocrinology diseases in Japan.
    • In August 2025, YORVIPATH received MAA approval from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare.
       

  
   

• Financial Update
   
  • Unaudited preliminary estimate of 2025 financial results:
    • Total full-year 2025 product revenue of ~€683 million:
    • YORVIPATH full-year 2025 revenue of ~€477 million
    • SKYTROFA full-year 2025 revenue of ~€206 million
    • Total full-year 2025 revenue of ~€720 million
    • Full-year 2025 gross margin expected to be ~87%
    • Total full-year 2025 operating expenses of ~€762 million
    • December 31, 2025 unaudited preliminary cash balance of ~€616 million
  • Expect operating cash flow of ~€500 million in 2026, based on current plans, exchange rates and excluding any contribution from TransCon CNP
  • Planned $120 million share repurchase program in 2026
     

Share Repurchase Program
The Board of Directors of Ascendis has authorized a $120 million Share Repurchase Program. Purchases under the Share Repurchase Program may be made from time to time through a variety of methods, which may include open-market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, or other methods permitted under applicable securities laws. The timing and amount of any repurchases pursuant to the Share Repurchase Program will be determined based on market conditions, share price and other factors. The Share Repurchase Program does not require Ascendis to repurchase any specific number of shares, and may be modified, suspended or terminated at any time without notice.

Presentation at J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Monday, January 12
A live webcast of the event will be available via the Investors & News section of the Ascendis Pharma website at https://investors.ascendispharma.com. The presentation will begin at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time / 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time. A webcast replay will be available for 30 days.

The Company’s slides from the J.P. Morgan presentation will be available on the same Investors & News website at https://investors.ascendispharma.com.

About Ascendis Pharma A/S
Ascendis Pharma is applying its innovative TransCon technology platform to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company focused on making a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. Guided by its core values of Patients, Science, and Passion, Ascendis uses its TransCon technologies to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies. Ascendis is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark and has additional facilities in Europe and the United States. Please visit ascendispharma.com to learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding Ascendis’ future operations, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to (i) Ascendis’ potential to rapidly transform into a leading global biopharma company, (ii) anticipated commercial launches of TransCon PTH into additional countries, (iii) the PDUFA goal date of TransCon CNP for pediatric achondroplasia and EMA regulatory decision date on the potential use of TransCon CNP in pediatric achondroplasia, (iv) timing of week 78 COACH data and planned new trials to support TransCon CNP and TransCon hGH treatment in additional indications, (v) planned release of data from the IL-Believe Trial of TransCon IL-2 β/γ, (vi) clinical status of TransCon aVEGF, (vii) NMPA’s anticipated decision of TransCon hGH as a potential treatment for PGHD, (viii) the expected collaboration with Novo Nordisk and progress of TransCon semaglutide, (ix) expected full year 2025 SKYTROFA, YORVIPATH and total revenues, operating expense, cash balance and operating cash flow, (x) planned share repurchase program, (xi) Ascendis’ ability to apply its TransCon technology platform to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company, and (xii) Ascendis’ use of its TransCon technologies to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies. Ascendis may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions, expectations and projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that Ascendis makes, including, without limitation: dependence on third‑party manufacturers, distributors, and service providers for Ascendis’ products and product candidates; risks related to regulatory review and approval, including the possibility of delays, requests for additional data or analyses, restrictions or limitations on use, approval with labeling that is more limited than expected, or failure to obtain approval in the United States, European Union, or other jurisdictions; clinical development risks, including that results from ongoing or future trials may not confirm earlier data; unforeseen safety or efficacy findings in development programs or on‑market products; manufacturing, supply chain, quality, or logistics issues that could delay development or commercialization; unforeseen expenses related to commercialization of any approved Ascendis products; unforeseen research and development or selling, general and administrative expenses and other costs impacting Ascendis’ business generally; market acceptance, pricing, and reimbursement challenges, including payer coverage decisions and health technology assessments; competitive developments, including new or improved therapies; intellectual property protection, freedom‑to‑operate, and litigation risks; Ascendis’ ability to obtain additional funding, if needed, to support its business activities; cybersecurity, data privacy, and information technology disruptions; and the impact of international economic, political, legal, compliance, public health, and business factors, including tariffs, trade policies, currency fluctuations, and geopolitical events. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Ascendis’ business in general, see Ascendis’ current and future reports filed with, or submitted to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on February 12, 2025. Forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future licensing, collaborations, acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments that Ascendis may enter into or make. Ascendis does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Ascendis, Ascendis Pharma, the Ascendis Pharma logo, the company logo, TransCon, SKYTROFA^®, and YORVIPATH^® are trademarks owned by the Ascendis Pharma group. © January 2026 Ascendis Pharma A/S.

Source: Ascendis Pharma