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** UCB expands innovation footprint with new state-of-the-art gene therapy =
facility
------------------------------------------------------------
=C2=B7 Investment is part of commitment to continuous innovation and lays a=
foundation for future success in gene therapy=C2=A0
=C2=B7 New facility in Belgium augments existing world class facilities and=
current cutting-edge scientific platforms that include biologics, small mo=
lecules, and peptides
=C2=B7 Provides UCB with critical end-to-end process and analytical develop=
ment, clinical manufacturing, quality control and ultimately launch capacit=
ies and capabilities ensuring speed, scalability, and quality as we work to=
bring our current and future gene therapy research projects to patients=C2=
=A0
Brussels (Belgium), 8th March 2022, 07:00 (CET) =E2=80=93 UCB, a global bio=
pharmaceutical company, today announced it will build an innovative and env=
ironmentally sustainable gene therapy process development and clinical manu=
facturing facility on their high-tech campus in Braine l=E2=80=99Alleud, Wa=
llonia, Belgium. The new facility, representing an investment of more than =
200 million euros over the coming years, is expected to be operational in 2=
024. Construction is due to start in the second quarter of 2022.=C2=A0
Recent years has seen a significant evolution in the gene therapy field and=
today it=E2=80=99s regarded as an exciting modality that can drive a funda=
mental change in how diseases are treated, enabling a move from treating sy=
mptoms to disease modification and eventually towards a cure in defined pat=
ient populations. But producing viral vectors (the delivery vehicles of gen=
e therapies) remains challenging due to currently highly inefficient manufa=
cturing processes, poorly characterized products, and scarce high-cost thir=
d party development and manufacturing capacity. So internal process and ana=
lytical development capabilities and seamless and flexible clinical manufac=
turing, are being recognized as critical success factors in the development=
of gene therapies.
Speaking about the new facility Dr. Kirsten Lund-Jurgensen, Executive Vice =
President and Head of Supply & Technology Solutions at UCB said, =E2=80=9CU=
pon completion of our new gene therapy development and clinical manufacturi=
ng facility, UCB will have complete ownership and control of its chemistry,=
manufacturing and controls (CMC) capabilities, this will enable agility, f=
lexibility, unparalleled product and process understanding, scalability, an=
d yield improvements, all translating to a significant competitive advantag=
e for UCB and a smart investment in the technologically evolving gene thera=
py landscape.=E2=80=9D
Once construction is complete the 17,000 square meter facility will expand =
UCBs innovation footprint, which includes sites in Belgium, China, Japan, S=
witzerland, Germany, US, and UK as well as offering accelerated career deve=
lopment for current employees and creating more than 100 new and highly ski=
lled jobs in gene therapy.
=E2=80=9CFrom ground-breaking scientific innovation to high-tech manufactur=
ing, our Braine campus is already home to a thriving and dynamic community =
of scientists, technicians, engineers, and manufacturing personnel,=E2=80=
=9D said Dhaval Patel, Executive Vice President and UCB=E2=80=99s Chief Sci=
entific Officer at UCB. He added, =E2=80=9CWith the addition of the new gen=
e therapy facility, along with our UCB Leuven site, we will make the Braine=
Campus one of the most exciting places, in Belgium, for innovative minds a=
nd people who are determined to push beyond the boundaries of what=E2=80=99=
s possible and change patients=E2=80=99 lives for the better.=E2=80=9D
The addition of our new facility reinforces our gene therapy teams currentl=
y concentrated in Braine and Leuven (Belgium), and Boston and Durham (US).
In the context of UCB=E2=80=99s sustainability approach, the new facility w=
ill support our carbon neutrality ambition, by implementing the most recent=
technologies, being BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental =
Assessment Method) certified and aiming to drastically reduce both resource=
consumption and waste production.
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(Higher resolution images available on demand)
For further information, contact UCB: =C2=A0
Corporate Communications
Scott Fleming, +447702 777 378, =C2=A0scott.fleming@ucb.com
Laurent Schots, +32 (0)2 559 92 64, Laurent.schots@ucb.com
Investor Relations
Antje Witte, +32 (0)2 559 94 14, antje.witte@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 soluti=
ons to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the imm=
une system or of the central nervous system. With more than 7600 people in =
approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of =E2=82=AC5.8=
=C2=A0billion in 2021. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Fo=
llow us on Twitter: @UCB_news.
Forward looking statements=C2=A0
This press release may contain forward-looking statements including, withou=
t limitation, statements containing the words =E2=80=9Cbelieves=E2=80=9D, =
=E2=80=9Canticipates=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cexpects=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cintends=
=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cplans=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cseeks=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cestim=
ates=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cmay=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cwill=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Ccont=
inue=E2=80=9D and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are=
based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. All statement=
s, other than statements of historical facts, are statements that could be =
deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operati=
ng margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial information, expect=
ed legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practic=
es and other such estimates and results. By their nature, such forward-look=
ing statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to =
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions which might cause th=
e actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of UCB, =
or industry results, to differ materially from those that may be expressed =
or implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press relea=
se. Important factors that could result in such differences include: the gl=
obal spread and impact of COVID-19, changes in general economic, business a=
nd competitive conditions, the inability to obtain necessary regulatory app=
rovals or to obtain them on acceptable terms or within expected timing, cos=
ts associated with research and development, changes in the prospects for p=
roducts in the pipeline or under development by UCB, effects of future judi=
cial decisions or governmental investigations, safety, quality, data integr=
ity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data pri=
vacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, produc=
t liability claims, challenges to patent protection for products or product=
candidates, competition from other products including biosimilars, changes=
in laws or regulations, exchange rate fluctuations, changes or uncertainti=
es in tax laws or the administration of such laws, and hiring and retention=
of its employees. There is no guarantee that new product candidates will b=
e discovered or identified in the pipeline, will progress to product approv=
al or that new indications for existing products will be developed and appr=
oved. Movement from concept to commercial product is uncertain; preclinical=
results do not guarantee safety and efficacy of product candidates in huma=
ns. So far, the complexity of the human body cannot be reproduced in comput=
er models, cell culture systems or animal models. The length of the timing =
to complete clinical trials and to get regulatory approval for product mark=
eting has varied in the past and UCB expects similar unpredictability going=
forward. Products or potential products which are the subject of partnersh=
ips, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differenc=
es disputes between the partners or may prove to be not as safe, effective =
or commercially successful as UCB may have believed at the start of such pa=
rtnership. UCB=E2=80=99 efforts to acquire other products or companies and =
to integrate the operations of such acquired companies may not be as succes=
sful as UCB may have believed at the moment of acquisition. Also, UCB or ot=
hers could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its=
products and/or devices after they are marketed. The discovery of signific=
ant problems with a product similar to one of UCB=E2=80=99s products that i=
mplicate an entire class of products may have a material adverse effect on =
sales of the entire class of affected products. Moreover, sales may be impa=
cted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health ca=
re cost containment, including pricing pressure, political and public scrut=
iny, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, and the reimbursement p=
olicies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biop=
harmaceutical pricing and reimbursement activities and outcomes. Finally, a=
breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach could compromise the=
confidentiality, integrity and availability of UCB=E2=80=99s data and syst=
ems.=C2=A0
Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on any of su=
ch forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investiga=
tional or approved products described in this press release will be submitt=
ed or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labelling in a=
ny market, or at any particular time, nor can there be any guarantee that s=
uch products will be or will continue to be commercially successful in the =
future.
UCB is providing this information, including forward-looking statements, on=
ly as of the date of this press release and it does not reflect any potenti=
al impact from the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, unless indicated otherwise. =
UCB is following the worldwide developments diligently to assess the financ=
ial significance of this pandemic to UCB. UCB expressly disclaims any duty =
to update any information contained in this press release, either to confir=
m the actual results or to report or reflect any change in its forward-look=
ing statements with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or c=
ircumstances on which any such statement is based, unless such statement is=
required pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.
Additionally, information contained in this document shall not constitute a=
n offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor =
shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdi=
ction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to =
the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdi=
ction.
=C2=A0
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