Strategy

UCB has a clear long-term strategy to become the patient-centric global biopharma leader. To achieve this goal, we have been steadily transforming our company since 2004. Patient-focus, agility, adaptation and efficency roundedup by partners are our success factors.

In 2004, UCB was a diversified pharmaceuticals, chemicals and films conglomerate. The transformation of UCB into a biopharmaceutical company, with a development portfolio of small- and large-molecule drugs, began in 2004 with the acquisition of Celltech, the leading British biotech company, and the divestment of noncore businesses in 2005. The acquisition of Schwarz Pharma in 2006 enriched the company’s late-stage pipeline, enhancing the company’s short- to mid-term commercial potential.

Since then, we have evolved into a leaner and more focused organisation with leading research and development capabilities focused on severe diseases in immunology and central nervous system. In 2008, for example, we accelerated our transformation with our SHAPE programme, which has successfully reallocated resources internally and externally, and focused our efforts and investments on our core business areas. The following year, 2009, we launched three new core products - Cimzia®, Vimpat® and Neupro® - in key markets, and continued to sharpen our focus in 2010 by exiting the primary care market in the U.S., Japan and Belgium in order to concentrate entirely on specialists treating severe diseases.

We have also managed patent expiries. In 2008 and 2009, UCB absorbed the first wave of generic erosion to its two leading brands, the anti-allergic drug Zyrtec® in 2008 and the epilepsy drug Keppra®, both in the U.S.. Although the effects of patent expiries continued in 2010, the second and last wave is expected in 2011. After 2011 UCB is not expected to face major patent expirations within the next decade. In 2010 and 2011, the new core products Cimzia®, Vimpat® and Neupro® of UCB are compensating to some extend the effects of generic erosion. From 2012 onwards the core products are expected to drive the company growth. Cimzia®, Vimpat® and Neupro® shall improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients around the world who suffer from disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease or restless legs syndrome. In the second half of this decade, Cimzia® is expected to generate annual peak sales of at least € 1.5 billion, Vimpat® of at least € 1.2 billion and Neupro® of at least € 400 million.

This growth will enable continued research and development investments. Currently, UCB has 10 molecules in its development pipeline across 15 indications, all of them being developed for the treatment of severe diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) and immunology. During the next decade we expect new treatment opportunities currently in clinical development to be available to patients suffering from epilepsy, the chronic autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus or bone loss disorders such as post-menopausal osteoporosis. New development candidates for CNS and immunology will mature and enter our clinical development pipeline.

Using our expertise in biology and chemistry, UCB NewMedicines is working on long-term research projects that could transform the way severe diseases are treated. These initiatives include pre-clinical projects that are using our proprietary A2Hit™ technology to combine the convenience of small orally available molecules with the efficacy and precision-targeting of large molecules.

Our pipeline is further enriched by external partnerships in CNS development and oncology development, providing us with attractive additional options. At certain stages we can opt in and add mature development projects to our pipeline.