EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS

Contacts:

Jeremy Price                                          Sharon Karlsberg
Manager, Investor Relations                           Vice President
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.                          Feinstein Kean Healthcare
(415) 884-6777                                        (617) 577-8110
jprice@biomarinpharm.com                              skarlsberg@fkhealth.com

For Immediate Release:

                 BioMarin Initiates Phase 2 Trial of AryplaseTM
                      Enzyme Replacement Therapy for MPS VI

Novato,  CA, April 22nd, 2002 - BioMarin  Pharmaceutical  Inc. (Nasdaq and Swiss
SWX New Market:  BMRN) today  announced that it began dosing patients last month
in a Phase 2 clinical trial of Aryplase (recombinant human N-acetylgalactosamine
4-sulfatase or arylsulfatase B), an investigational  enzyme replacement  therapy
for the  treatment of  mucopolysaccharidosis  VI (MPS VI). MPS VI, also known as
Maroteaux-Lamy  syndrome,  is a life-threatening  lysosomal storage disorder for
which no specific drug treatments  currently exist. In September 2001,  BioMarin
reported  positive  safety and enzyme  activity data from the Company's  Phase 1
clinical trial of Aryplase.

The primary objective of this open-label,  multi-national Phase 2 clinical trial
will  be to  evaluate  the  efficacy,  safety  and  pharmacokinetics  of  weekly
intravenous infusions of 1.0 mg/kg of Aryplase in 10 MPS VI patients.  This dose
represents the higher level of two doses administered in the six-patient Phase 1
trial.

Stuart Swiedler, M.D., Ph.D., BioMarin's Vice President, Clinical Affairs, said,
"Our goal is to assemble a comprehensive  set of clinical data that will lead to
the timely  advancement  of an effective  treatment  for this  debilitating  and
currently untreatable genetic disease. We look forward to reporting results from
this trial in the first quarter of 2003. Subsequently,  if data from the Phase 2
trial  demonstrate  positive  safety and efficacy  outcomes,  we anticipate  the
initiation of a pivotal Phase 3 trial."

John Jost, Ph.D.,  BioMarin's Vice President,  Manufacturing,  added,  "Clinical
materials for the Phase 2 trial were produced in our recently  upgraded clinical
manufacturing  facility,  which will also produce the  materials for the Phase 3
clinical program. Key modifications to the Aryplase  manufacturing  process have
resulted in an approximately five-fold increase in plant productivity."

BioMarin has received orphan drug and fast track  designations  for Aryplase for
the  treatment  of MPS VI from the U.S.  Food and Drug  Administration,  and the
European  Commission has  designated  Aryplase for the treatment of MPS VI as an
orphan medicinal product.



Aryplase Phase 1 Results

In September 2001,  BioMarin  reported  results from a randomized,  double-blind
six-patient  Phase 1 clinical trial of Aryplase.  The primary  objective of this
trial was to evaluate the safety of Aryplase at two dose  levels:  0.2 mg/kg and
1.0 mg/kg.  The enzyme was well tolerated by all six patients during the initial
24-week treatment stage, and key findings included:

o        No treatment-related serious adverse events;
o        No significant allergic reactions to the enzyme infusions;
o        Urinary  glycosaminoglycan  (GAG)  excretion was reduced by a mean of
         70% and 55% in the high and low dose groups, respectively;
o        Reduced urinary GAG excretion was evident within three weeks of
         initiating treatment.

The  reduction  in urinary GAGs  indicates  that  Aryplase is breaking  down the
complex carbohydrate materials that otherwise accumulate in patients with MPS VI
and lead to the debilitating and life-threatening symptoms of the disease.

About MPS VI

MPS VI is a  life-threatening  lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency
of the enzyme N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase (also known as arylsulfatase B).
This  deficiency  leads  to the  accumulation  of  GAGs  in the  lysosomes,  the
digestive organs of the cell. The accumulation of GAGs in the lysosomes leads to
progressive cellular, tissue and organ system dysfunction. Debilitating symptoms
often  include  impaired  cardiac  and  pulmonary  function,   delayed  physical
development,  skeletal and joint deformities, impaired vision and hearing, sleep
disorders,  and reduced  endurance.  Depending  on the  severity of the disease,
patients die from  disease-related  complications  between  childhood  and early
adulthood.

BioMarin    Pharmaceutical    Inc.    specializes   in   the   development   and
commercialization   of   therapeutic   enzyme   products   to   treat   serious,
life-threatening diseases and other conditions.

This  press  release  contains  forward-looking  statements  about the  business
prospects of BioMarin  Pharmaceutical Inc., including the prospects of Aryplase.
These   forward-looking   statements  are  predictions  and  involve  risks  and
uncertainties  such  that  actual  results  may  differ  materially  from  these
statements.   Results  may  differ  materially  depending  on  the  progress  of
BioMarin's  product programs,  the data to be released when the ongoing Aryplase
trial is unblinded, the results of current and proposed clinical trials, actions
of  regulatory  authorities,  future  actions in the  pharmaceutical  market and
developments by competitors,  and those factors  detailed in BioMarin's  filings
with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  such as 10Q, 10K and 8K reports.
Stockholders   are  urged  not  to  place  undue  reliance  on   forward-looking
statements,  which  speak  only as of the  date  hereof.  BioMarin  is  under no
obligation,  and  expressly  disclaims  any  obligation,  to update or alter any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise.

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