UCB has an established track record as a partner and has proven its ability to build successful and sustainable relationships.
The following case studies illustrate this success:
Pfizer
- UCB and Pfizer long-term collaboration started already in the 1950's when UCB licensed Atarax® (hydroxyzine) to Pfizer.
- In 1987, UCB and Pfizer signed a licensing agreement for Zyrtec® (cetirizine) for the US territory. Both companies have been successfully co-promoting Zyrtec® in the US since 1996 and the product reached blockbuster status.
- A discovery and development collaboration of antibody-based drugs Mylotarg® (gemtuzumab ozogamicin for injection), a pioneering treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) marketed in the US and Japan, and CMC-544 an IgG4 antibody which delivers calicheamicin to CD22 positive cells, currently being evaluated in Phase III trials in patients with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
- Toviaz® (fesoterodine) for the treatment of overactive bladder is also licensed to Pfizer.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals
- UCB licensed European sales and marketing rights to Xyrem® (sodium oxybate) from Jazz Pharmaceuticals in October 2003.
- In 2006, the companies agreed to expand the collaboration to include fibromyalgia syndrome and to double the number of countries in which UCB has commercialisation rights to Xyrem® (launched in December 2005).
- In June 2009, Jazz Pharmaceuticals and UCB announced that the second Phase III study of sodium oxybate in patients with fibromyalgia meet primary endpoints.
Immunomedics
- In May 2006, Immunomedics and UCB announced a collaboration and license agreement for epratuzumab (humanized anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody). The agreement granted UCB the exclusive worldwide rights to develop, market and sell epratuzumab for all autoimmune disease indications.
- In August 2009, UCB and Immunomedics announced positive results for epratuzumab Phase IIb study in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Wilex
- In January 2009, UCB and Wilex entered into a strategic alliance to develop UCB's preclinical oncology portfolio composed of five programmes. The joint development strategy includes buyback options for UCB and UCB becomes a strategic investor in Wilex.