H.R.H. Prince Philippe of Belgium Visits The UCB Site In Braine-l'Alleud Together With The Walloon Authorities

The participants were: Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe, Minister-President of the Walloon Region, Jean-Claude Marcourt, Walloon Minister for the Economy and the Employment, Marie-Dominique Simonet, Walloon Minister for Scientific Research and New Technology, Jean-Louis Vanherweghem, President of the Board of ULB, Marcel Crochet, former Rector of UCL, Kurt Vandenberghe, European Commission, Thierry Appelboom, Professor, rheumatologist at Erasmus Hospital, Jean Stephenne, President and General Manager of GSK Biologicals, Roch Doliveux, Director-General of UCB Pharma, and Georges Jacobs, Chairman of the Executive Committee of UCB.

The discussion brought to the fore the conditions needed to guarantee the future of the pharmaceutical industry in Belgium and in particular Wallonia.

Wallonia must develop a highly qualified workforce in this sector, which provides considerable added value as a clean, environmentally friendly industry that uses few raw materials and is likely to generate exports.

At the round-table discussion, the leaders of industry stressed the need for a climate that promotes a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation and that meets training requirements so as to attract the sectors of research and production to the Walloon region.

During the event, the second production unit for the antiepileptic drug Keppra was officially opened. At the inauguration ceremony tribute was paid to the UCB research team and the staff in charge of production of the drug.