UCB (company)

UCB (Union Chimique Belge) is a large international biopharmaceutical company with its main headquarters located in Brussels, Belgium. The company focuses on the research and development of medications that treat the central nervous system and the immune system, including conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and Crohn's disease.[1]

History

Emmanuel Janssen founded the company on January 18, 1928, as a business that originally focused on industrial chemicals. During the early 1950s, the company began to research new medicines and successfully developed drugs such as Atarax and Nootropil. UCB transformed itself into a global biopharmaceutical company in the early 2000s by selling its chemical and film divisions and purchasing biotechnology companies like Celltech and Schwarz Pharma.[2] The company continued to grow by acquiring Ra Pharma in 2020 and purchasing Zogenix for nearly two billion dollars in 2022.[3]

Medicines

UCB has developed several famous medications used by patients around the world. These include the allergy treatments Zyrtec and Xyzal, along with the epilepsy medications Keppra and Vimpat. The company also produces Cimzia for the treatment of Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as a transdermal patch called Neupro which is used to help patients with Parkinson's disease.

The company has been involved in several legal scandals throughout its history. In 2004, the European Union fined UCB over ten million euros for its role in a price-fixing cartel related to Vitamin B4.[4] In 2011, the company pleaded guilty and paid thirty-four million dollars in the United States because it promoted the drug Keppra for treating migraines even though its own research showed the drug did not work for that purpose.[5] Additionally, Chinese authorities investigated the company in 2015 for issues regarding corruption and bribery.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Our company". UCB.
  2. ↑ "Belgian drugmaker seeks to buy Celltech". The New York Times. May 19, 2004.
  3. ↑ "UCB to acquire Zogenix". BioSpace. 2022-01-19. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  4. ↑ "Europe Is Expected to Fine Members of Vitamin Cartel". The New York Times. 2004-12-08.
  5. ↑ "UCB Pays $34 Million and Pleads Guilty in Epilepsy Drug Fraud Case". The New York Times. 2011-11-06.
  6. ↑ "China: Belgian Drugmaker UCB Targeted in Wake of GSK Bribery Scandal". International Business Times UK. 19 July 2013.

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