UCB builds on its R&D footprint to form a research satellite facility within King’s College London |
Brussels, Belgium and Slough, UK – 15 February 2019 (GMT) – UCB today expanded its global satellite research site strategy by signing a new three-year research and development collaboration agreement with King’s College London, UK. Today’s announcement furthers UCB’s strategy of complementing R&D activity undertaken in its two major international research hubs in Belgium and the UK, with smaller satellite facilities that locate industry scientists in innovative environments conducive to building new capabilities. This collaboration with King’s also builds upon the recent successful execution of three satellite research sites in the US resulting from acquisitions of Beryllium (Boston and Seattle) and Element Genomics (Durham, NC) which will boost UCB's capabilities in genomics, protein engineering and structural biology. Over the course of the collaboration, leading UCB and King’s scientists will work together on-site at the Guy’s Campus - where King’s is developing a Biotech Hub - to optimise collective expertise in effectively translating basic research and clinical insights into impactful treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. It is anticipated that the collaboration will initially focus on the progression of one novel and innovative medicine into human clinical studies by the beginning of 2020. UCB and King’s will invest in this collaboration over an initial three-year period, with the potential to further extend, based on project outcomes. The collaboration will be managed by a Relationship Board of senior leaders from both organisations that will assess projects to be prioritised and identify new areas of science and technology of interest to both parties to ensure outcomes are maximised. To support the running of this collaboration, UCB will invest financial resource alongside in-kind benefits provided by King’s. The announcement of this research satellite collaboration follows UCB’s recent news, as part of the Life Sciences Sector Deal last December, that it will invest up to £1 billion over the next five years to keep one of their two major international R&D hubs in the UK, and includes investment of approximately £150-200 million in a new purpose built, state-of-the-art facility. It also aligns with the direction of travel set by the Life Science Industrial Strategy and reaffirmed in the recently published NHS Long Term Plan1 which called for collaboration between industry, academic and NHS partners. Dhaval Patel, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, UCB said, “At UCB we are proud of both our heritage in the UK and our recent Sector Deal announcement2. One of the incentives for us to commit to keeping our major R&D site in the UK last year - on top of the UK’s vibrant life sciences environment - was the potential to build upon our numerous active collaborations with UK universities. We are therefore thrilled to be able to announce this new collaboration with King’s, which we believe will further augment our collective research and development capabilities in the pursuit of innovative new medicines for patients, to solidify our position as a leader in UK life sciences”. Professor Sir Robert Lechler, Vice Principal (Health) Executive Director of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre, said of the announcement, “I am very excited to announce this collaboration and believe that combining our world class expertise in translational research and clinical development at King’s with UCB’s long and successful track record of partnering with UK academia will yield successful benefits for both parties, and I hope ultimately greater knowledge that can be translated into tangible benefit for patients”. UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Belgium, with a focus on developing innovative treatments for patients with neurological and immunological conditions. Since acquiring Celltech in 2004 UCB has invested heavily in the UK, reinvesting between 23-28% of revenue back into R&D per annum, making the company one of the most research intensive companies in Europe. UCB has an extensive network of collaborations with UK universities, charities and other companies, with UCB’s scientists working with leading researchers to advance science and deliver the solutions that patients need. Laurent Schots Ross Carroll Forward looking statements - UCB There is no guarantee that new product candidates in the pipeline will progress to product approval or that new indications for existing products will be developed and approved. Products or potential products which are the subject of partnerships, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differences between the partners. Also, UCB or others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its products after they are marketed. Moreover, sales may be impacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health care cost containment and the reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biopharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement.
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