UCB launches offering of perpetual subordinated bonds

Brussels Belgium - 7 March 2011 - regulated information - UCB SA ("UCB" or the "Company") announces today the launch of an offering (the "Offering") of fixed-to-floating rate perpetual subordinated securities (the "Bonds") for an expected amount of approximately EUR 300 million.

The Bonds will be placed through an accelerated book building placement with institutional investors in Europe. The transaction is to be conducted by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas and ING Belgium, acting as Joint Bookrunners for the Offering. The Royal Bank of Scotland will act as Senior Co-Lead Manager. Crédit Agricole CIB and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities International will act as Co-Lead Managers for the Offering. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is acting as Structuring Manager for this transaction.

The perpetual subordinated bonds, which qualify for accounting treatment as equity under the provisions of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), are expected to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

An announcement will be made by the Company of the definitive terms of the Bonds following pricing.

For further information
Antje Witte, Investor Relations UCB
T +32.2.559.9414, antje.witte@ucb.com
Michael Tuck-Sherman, Investor Relations, UCB
T +32.2.559.9712, michael.tuck-sherman@ucb.com
Nancy Nackaerts, External Communications, UCB
T +32.473.864.414 or +32.2.559.92.64, nancy.nackaerts@ucb.com

About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 8 500 people in about 40 countries, the company generated revenue of EUR 3.2 billion in 2010. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).

Forward looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those that may be implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, effects of future judicial decisions, changes in regulation, exchange rate fluctuations and hiring and retention of its employees.

Disclaimer
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (OR TO US PERSONS), CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND DOES NOT FORM PART OF ANY OFFER TO SELL, OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY, SECURITIES. THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE OFFER AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS MAY BE RESTRICTED BY LAW. ANY PERSONS READING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD INFORM THEMSELVES OF AND OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.
ANY OFFERING AND ANY RELATED FORMAL DOCUMENTATION WILL BE SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS AND TERMINATION EVENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WHICH ARE CUSTOMARY FOR SUCH OFFERINGS. ANY SUCH OFFERING WILL NOT COMPLETE UNLESS SUCH CONDITIONS ARE FULFILLED AND ANY SUCH TERMINATION EVENTS HAVE NOT TAKEN PLACE OR THE FAILURE TO FULFIL SUCH A CONDITION OR THE OCCURRENCE OF A TERMINATION EVENT HAS BEEN WAIVED, IF APPLICABLE
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. THE BONDS MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR DELIVERED IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, US PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) ABSENT REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"). THE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO US TAX LAW REQUIREMENTS. UCB DOES NOT INTEND TO REGISTER ANY PORTION OF THE PLANNED OFFER IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO CONDUCT AN OFFERING OF SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE OFFERING IS BEING CONDUCTED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT A PROSPECTUS WITHIN THE MEANING OF DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF NOVEMBER 4, 2003 (AS IMPLEMENTED IN EACH MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA, THE “PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE”).
IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (“EEA”), THE BONDS ARE BEING OFFERED ONLY TO QUALIFIED INVESTORS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE (“QUALIFIED INVESTORS”), IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESPECTIVE REGULATIONS OF EACH MEMBER STATE IN WHICH THE BONDS ARE OFFERED. ANY PERSON IN THE EEA OTHER THAN THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO ACQUIRES THE BONDS IN ANY OFFER (AN “INVESTOR”) OR TO WHOM ANY OFFER OF BONDS IS MADE WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND AGREED THAT IT IS A “QUALIFIED INVESTOR”, (AS DEFINED ABOVE). ANY INVESTOR WILL ALSO BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND AGREED THAT (I) ANY BONDS ACQUIRED BY IT IN THE OFFER HAVE NOT BEEN ACQUIRED ON BEHALF OF PERSONS IN THE EEA OTHER THAN QUALIFIED INVESTORS, OR PERSONS IN THE UK AND OTHER MEMBER STATES (WHERE EQUIVALENT LEGISLATION EXISTS) FOR WHOM THE INVESTOR HAS AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ON A WHOLLY DISCRETIONARY BASIS AND (II) THE BONDS HAVE NOT BEEN ACQUIRED WITH A VIEW TO THEIR OFFER OR RESALE IN THE EEA TO PERSONS WHERE THIS WOULD RESULT IN A REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLICATION BY THE COMPANY OR THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OF A PROSPECTUS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 3 OF THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE. THE COMPANY, THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS AND ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, AND OTHERS, WILL RELY UPON THE TRUTH AND ACCURACY OF THE FOREGOING REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DIRECTED ONLY AT THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: (I) PERSONS WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005(THE "ORDER”), (II) PERSONS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49 OF THE ORDER AND (III) PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS “QUALIFIED PERSONS”). IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS ONLY DIRECTED AT QUALIFIED PERSONS AND ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED PERSONS OR WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY BY QUALIFIED PERSONS. SOLICITATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM RESULTING FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE RESPONDED TO IF THE PERSON CONCERNED IS A QUALIFIED PERSON. OTHER PERSONS SHOULD NOT RELY OR ACT UPON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OF ITS CONTENTS.
ANY PURCHASE OF OR APPLICATION FOR BONDS OF THE COMPANY PURSUANT TO THE OFFERING SHOULD ONLY BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE PROSPECTUS ISSUED BY THE COMPANY IN DUE COURSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING.