Revolutionize Science. Redefine Care. Restore Humanity: One year of progress since the first UCB HS Vision Report

One year ago, we shared the first UCB Vision Report, making a clear commitment to the hidradenitis 
suppurativa (HS) community to: Revolutionize Science, Redefine Care, and Restore Humanity.

Over the past year, we have made meaningful strides toward our vision of an HS-free world – from 
advancing biomarker research and strengthening education for healthcare professionals, to amplifying 
patient voices and supporting global advocacy initiatives.

Today, as we publish the updated 2026 report, I’d like to reflect on the momentum we have built and the 
partnerships that have helped shape this progress. While these are just a small part of the broader 
efforts underway, I am proud to spotlight three exciting initiatives, and the leaders helping to shape 
them, that bring our three pillars of commitment to life.

Revolutionize Science: Harnessing biomarkers in HS

Not everyone experiences HS in the same way, it can show up and progress differently from person to 
person. That’s why improving our understanding of who is most likely to develop more severe disease, or 
respond to treatment, remains a critical priority and underpins our commitment to more personalized 
approaches.

This year, we reached an important milestone with our biomarker study in collaboration with Stanford 
University, completing the patient recruitment phase. Now moving into analysis, the study is exploring 
biomarkers linked to “fast” and “slow” disease progression in HS. By helping researchers better 
understand indicators that can predict differences in how the disease will develop, this work has the 
potential to support more informed, real-world treatment decisions.

Redefine Care: The human cost of HS

Behind every HS diagnosis is a person navigating not only painful physical symptoms, but often stigma, 
mental health challenges, and significant disruption to daily life. To better illustrate this impact from a 
socio-economic perspective, particularly for those shaping policy and care guidelines, we have conducted
a real-world study in Germany analyzing health insurance claims data from 4.1 million individuals.

The findings highlight the substantial burden experienced by people living with HS, including increased 
prevalence of comorbidities such as depression, diabetes, and obesity, as well as significantly higher 
healthcare costs compared to non-HS populations.

Restore Humanity: The power of collective voices

As part of our patient engagement work with the HS community, we hear first-hand how stigma, lack of 
awareness, and delays in diagnosis can affect those living with HS. At UCB, we understand the 
importance of working closely with the HS community to ensure that people living with HS remain at the 
centre of every conversation.

It is against this backdrop, and as part of our enduring commitment to the community, that we convened 
the third consecutive HS Patient Partnership Summit in April 2026. The Summit brought together 20 HS 
advocates from 14 countries across two inspiring days anchored in connection, knowledge exchange and 
co-creation to drive action. In line with the founding principle of ‘by patients, for patients’, it 
demonstrated the power of global connection to collaboratively explore solutions and address unmet 
needs.

Looking ahead

While I am excited to share these three initiatives as highlights of the meaningful progress we have made 
around the world, the 2026 Vision Report also serves as a reminder that this journey is far from over.

Driven by the belief that people deserve better science and better care, we will continue to drive progress 
that creates meaningful change for the HS community. We are grateful to the patients, advocates, 
healthcare professionals, and partners working alongside us, and we look forward to continuing into the 
next chapter together.

To learn more about the initiatives featured, you can explore the full 2026 Vision Report or follow us on 
LinkedIn and Instagram to join the conversation.