Ascendis Pharma A/S Reports Full Year 2018 Financial Results Rare disease endocrinology pipeline continues to advance, with significant 2019 milestones anticipated Phase 3 heiGHt Trial results showcase potential of Trans

Ascendis Pharma A/S Reports Full Year 2018 Financial Results

Rare disease endocrinology pipeline continues to advance, with

significant 2019 milestones anticipated

Phase 3 heiGHt Trial results showcase potential of TransCon

support company algorithm for product innovation

Conference call today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 3, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND), a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its innovative

TransCon technologies to address unmet medical needs, today announced financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2018.

achieved clinical validation for all three of our rare disease endocrinology programs, showing we can translate product concepts into therapeutic candidates that make a meaningful difference for patients, said Jan Mikkelsen, Ascendis

Pharma s President and Chief Executive Officer. We have demonstrated that our unique algorithm and approach to product innovation are effective, and we are now applying it in our second therapeutic area of oncology. With our phase 3

results for TransCon hGH, we are now even closer to offering a highly differentiated therapy reflecting our values and commitment to delivering on our mission.

Corporate Highlights & Progress

Full Year 2018 Financial Results

For the full year 2018,

Ascendis Pharma reported a net loss of 130.1 million, or 3.17 per share (basic and diluted) compared to a net loss of 123.9 million, or 3.68 per share (basic and diluted) during the same period in 2017.

Revenue for 2018 was 10.6 million compared to 1.5 million during 2017. The increase in revenue reflects the sale of licenses recognized

as part of forming the strategic investment in VISEN Pharmaceuticals.

Research and development (R&D) costs for 2018 were 140.3 million

compared to 99.6 million during 2017. Higher R&D costs in 2018 reflect an increase in clinical trial costs for the phase 3 clinical program for TransCon hGH, costs for preparation of the manufacturing of validation batches required as

part of the regulatory approval process, ongoing development of our proprietary auto-injector for use with TransCon hGH, costs associated with the company s phase 1 clinical trials of TransCon PTH and TransCon CNP, phase 2 enabling activities

for both programs, and increased headcount in R&D functions.

General and administrative expenses for the 2018 year were 25.1 million

compared to 13.5 million during 2017. The increase is primarily due to higher personnel costs and site costs, increased professional fees, recruitment costs and initial costs of building out a commercial organization.

As of December 31, 2018, the company had cash and cash equivalents of 277.9 million compared

to 195.4 million in the prior year period. As of December 31, 2018, Ascendis Pharma had 42,135,448 ordinary shares outstanding.

Conference Call and Webcast information

will host a conference call and webcast today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) to discuss its full year 2018 financial results. Details include:

A live audio webcast of the event will be available in the Investors and News section of the Ascendis Pharma website at

www.ascendispharma.com. A webcast replay will also be available on this website shortly after conclusion of the event for 30 days.

Ascendis Pharma is applying its innovative platform technology 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, the company utilizes its TransCon technologies to create new and

potentially best-in-class therapies.

Ascendis Pharma currently has a

pipeline of three independent rare disease endocrinology product candidates in clinical development and has established oncology as its second therapeutic area of focus. Additionally, Ascendis Pharma has multi-product collaborations with Sanofi in

diabetes and Genentech in the field of ophthalmology and continues to expand into additional therapeutic areas for both internal and external development.

Ascendis is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with offices in Heidelberg, Germany and Palo Alto, California.

For more information, please visit www.ascendispharma.com.

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 our 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)

our plans to submit a BLA with the FDA for TransCon hGH to treat pediatric GHD in the first half of 2020, (ii) our plans to report top-line results from

PaTH Forward in the fourth quarter of 2019, (iii) our ability to apply our TransCon technology platform to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company, (iv) our expectations regarding our ability to create potentially best-in-class therapies and (v) our product pipeline. We 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 we make, including the following: unforeseen safety or efficacy results in our TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH and

TransCon CNP or other development programs; unforeseen expenses related to the development and potential commercialization of TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH and TransCon CNP or other development programs, general and administrative expenses, other

research and development expenses and our business generally; delays in the development of TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH and TransCon CNP or other development programs related to manufacturing, regulatory requirements, speed of patient recruitment or

other unforeseen delays; dependence on third party manufacturers to supply study drug for planned clinical studies; and our ability to obtain additional funding, if needed, to support our business activities. 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 our business in general, see our current and future reports filed with, or submitted to, the U.S.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2017, which we filed with the SEC on March 28, 2018.

Forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future in-licensing, collaborations, acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments we may enter into or make. We do

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 and TransCon are trademarks owned by the Ascendis Pharma group. April 2019 Ascendis Pharma A/S.

FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW

Consolidated Statements of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income / (loss)

(In EUR 000s, except share and per share data)

Consolidated Statements of Financial Position