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** Aitia and UCB Announce Strategic Drug Discovery Collaboration in Hunting=
ton's Disease
------------------------------------------------------------
Brussels, Belgium, and Somerville, MA, March 15th, 2023 (18:30 CET): UCB, a=
global biopharmaceutical company, and Aitia, a leader in the application o=
f Causal AI and =E2=80=9CDigital Twins=E2=80=9D to discover and develop new=
drugs, today announced an early drug discovery collaboration focused on th=
e discovery and validation of novel drug targets and drug candidates for Hu=
ntingdon=E2=80=99s disease. The collaboration seeks to validate novel drug =
targets that are causally linked to clinical endpoints in Huntington's dise=
ase.=C2=A0
Huntington's disease is a debilitating genetic disorder that affects the br=
ain, causing gradual degeneration of nerve cells in specific areas of the b=
rain, which can lead to problems with movement, behavior, and cognitive abi=
lities^1,2. It is estimated that Huntington=E2=80=99s disease affects appro=
ximately 1 in 10,000 people worldwide and currently there is no cure for th=
e disease and treatment options are limited^1,3.=C2=A0
Colin Hill, CEO and co-founder of Aitia, commented, "At Aitia, our mission =
is to discover the next generation of breakthrough drugs to improve outcome=
s for patients where there is high unmet need. We believe that Huntington=
=E2=80=99s disease is overdue for major disruption and breakthroughs from o=
ur Gemini Digital Twins which are created from large quantities of multi-om=
ic patient data and causal AI. We=E2=80=99re excited to collaborate closely=
with UCB to gain deeper insights into the underlying mechanisms of this co=
mplex disease and hope to drive major advancements in drug discovery and de=
velopment faster than ever before.=E2=80=9D
This strategic collaboration will combine the use of novel Huntington=E2=80=
=99s disease drug targets from Aitia=E2=80=99s Gemini Digital Twins with UC=
B=E2=80=99s expertise in drug research and preclinical model systems in neu=
rodegeneration with the aim to accelerate the discovery of new therapies fo=
r people living with Huntington's disease.=C2=A0
=E2=80=9CWe are pleased to work with Aitia in a bid to unravel the circuity=
of this debilitating disease" said Dhaval Patel, Executive Vice President =
and Chief Scientific Officer at UCB. =E2=80=9CWe see this collaboration as =
an investment in next generation science and technology, allowing us to acc=
elerate our understanding of human pathobiology and explore the potential o=
f developing novel medicines through AI.=E2=80=9D
Financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed.
References
1. Huntington=E2=80=99s Disease Association =E2=80=98Our vision Our mission=
=E2=80=99. (n.d.). Available at: https://www.hda.org.uk/media/3014/impact-r=
eport-2019-final-3.pdf (https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=
=3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.hda.org.uk%2Fmedia%2F3014%2Fimpact-report-2019-final-3=
.pdf&data=3D05%7C01%7CScott.Fleming%40ucb.com%7Cd10b264d6fe8464b41ed08db15a=
9d09e%7C237582ad3eab4d44868806ca9f2e613b%7C0%7C0%7C638127593145295040%7CUnk=
nown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJX=
VCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3DMqHmqYCouhcaoZUh5LtEVlxD3e1Q03FIz1DgiCBQ=
SfQ%3D&reserved=3D0) . Last accessed February 2023.
2. www.neurocntr.com (http://www.neurocntr.com/) . (n.d.). Huntington Disea=
se Overview, Incidence and Prevalence - NEUROCNTR. [online] Available at: h=
ttp://www.neurocntr.com/huntingtons-disease.php (https://eur02.safelinks.pr=
otection.outlook.com/?url=3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.neurocntr.com%2Fhuntingtons-di=
sease.php&data=3D05%7C01%7CScott.Fleming%40ucb.com%7Cd10b264d6fe8464b41ed08=
db15a9d09e%7C237582ad3eab4d44868806ca9f2e613b%7C0%7C0%7C638127593145295040%=
7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWw=
iLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3Dq46bSNLdXyLt90pOXoMKEpQFZ4o71gJsCEa=
tE2073jw%3D&reserved=3D0) . Last accessed February 2023.
3. health.ucdavis.edu. (n.d.). About Huntington=E2=80=99s Disease - UC Davi=
s Huntington=E2=80=99s Disease Center of Excellence. [online] Available at:=
https://health.ucdavis.edu/huntingtons/about.html (https://eur02.safelinks=
.protection.outlook.com/?url=3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fhealth.ucdavis.edu%2Fhuntingto=
ns%2Fabout.html&data=3D05%7C01%7CScott.Fleming%40ucb.com%7Cd10b264d6fe8464b=
41ed08db15a9d09e%7C237582ad3eab4d44868806ca9f2e613b%7C0%7C0%7C6381275931452=
95040%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6I=
k1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3DTXVQDf4Lep3pGAS6Z7fUNoBF4rO1f=
YSpdJ3Nlza7ZZI%3D&reserved=3D0) . Last accessed February 2023.
For media enquiries contact=C2=A0
Antje Witte Investor Relations (UCB), +32.2.559.94.14 or email antje.witte@=
ucb.com
Laurent Schots, Corporate Communications (UCB), +32.2.559.92.64 or email la=
urent.schots@ucb.com
Scott Fleming, R&D Communications (UCB), +447702777378 or email scott.flemi=
ng@ucb.com=C2=A0
Zena Sfeir, Vice President of Marketing (Aitia), +1.617.374.2300 or email z=
sfeir@aitiabio.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 approximately 8 700 peopl=
e in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of =E2=82=AC=
5.5 billion in 2022. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).=C2=
=A0
About Aitia
Aitia is a leader in the application of Causal AI and Digital Twins to disc=
over the next generation of breakthrough drugs. By leveraging the convergen=
ce of multi-omic patient data, high-performance computing, and causal learn=
ing and AI, Aitia is revealing the hidden biological mechanisms of disease =
to create Digital Twins of disease in oncology, neurodegenerative disorders=
, and immunology. Gemini Digital Twins are being used today to discover nov=
el therapies and accelerate R&D in multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, Alzhe=
imer=E2=80=99s Disease, Parkinson=E2=80=99s Disease, and Huntington=E2=80=
=99s Disease, with several more in development. Aitia=E2=80=99s partners in=
clude seven of the top ten pharmaceutical companies, leading academic resea=
rch and medical centers, medical societies, leading multi-omic data compani=
es, and patient advocacy groups globally.
Forward looking statements - UCB
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 partners=
hips, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differen=
ces 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 p=
artnership. UCB=E2=80=99s efforts to acquire other products or companies an=
d to integrate the operations of such acquired companies may not be as succ=
essful as UCB may have believed at the moment of acquisition. Also, UCB or =
others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with i=
ts products and/or devices after they are marketed. The discovery of signif=
icant problems with a product similar to one of UCB=E2=80=99s products that=
implicate an entire class of products may have a material adverse effect o=
n sales of the entire class of affected products. Moreover, sales may be im=
pacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health =
care cost containment, including pricing pressure, political and public scr=
utiny, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, and the reimbursement=
policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting bi=
opharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement activities and outcomes. Finally,=
a breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach could compromise t=
he confidentiality, integrity and availability of UCB=E2=80=99s data and sy=
stems.=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.=C2=A0
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.
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