{
    "title": "Belgian biopharma company UCB to acquire US biotech company for 2bn USD",
    "modified_at": "2026-05-04 11:07:31",
    "published_at": "2026-05-04 06:47:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-biopharma-company-ucb-to-acquire-us-biotech-company-for-2-billion-usd",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/JnEd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "belgian-biopharma-company-ucb-to-acquire-us-biotech-company-for-2-billion-usd",
    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>Belgian pharmaceutical group UCB has reached an agreement to acquire American biotech firm Candid Therapeutics for more than 2 billion USD (around 1.7 billion euros), the company announced on Sunday.</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: left\">Candid Therapeutics specialises in treatments for autoimmune diseases. Its lead candidate, cizutamig, is currently being tested in 10 clinical trials involving patients with various autoimmune conditions. The treatment has already been administered to more than 100 patients.</p><div id=\"bookmark-4e3a874d-820a-457f-be5c-e19900635deb\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/ucb-announces-plans-to-build-drug-manufacturing-plant-in-us\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2Fb443ac92-09ba-4865-9cf5-f73eff28deb1%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=b741504279a58014744f2121dd9c6e13)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/ucb-announces-plans-to-build-drug-manufacturing-plant-in-us\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"4e3a874d-820a-457f-be5c-e19900635deb\"\n           >\n                UCB announces plans to build drug manufacturing plant in US            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                UCB is set to build a new biopharmaceutical plant in the US state of Georgia, the Belgian pharmaceutical group announced on Tuesday. It will be...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Fucb-announces-plans-to-build-drug-manufacturing-plant-in-us&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">&quot;We consider cizutamig a potentially groundbreaking agent that complements our existing programs,&quot; UCB CEO Jean-Christophe Tellier said. He sees potential to &quot;significantly improve&quot; the quality of life for patients.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">Under the agreement, UCB will pay 2 billion USD upfront, with a further 200 million in possible milestone payments linked to clinical and regulatory achievements.</p><h4 id=\"third-recent-deal\" style=\"text-align: left\">Third recent deal</h4><p style=\"text-align: left\">The acquisition is UCB&rsquo;s third major deal in recent months as the company seeks to strengthen its long-term drug pipeline. In April, UCB acquired US biotech company Neurona Therapeutics, which develops cell therapies for epilepsy and neurological disorders, in a deal worth up to 1.15 billion USD. Earlier this year, the group also entered into a partnership with the Chinese biotech firm Antengene, focused on immunology treatments.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">UCB generated 7.7 billion EUR in revenue last year, up around a quarter compared with the previous year. The company&rsquo;s current growth is being driven largely by Bimzelx, a treatment for inflammatory diseases. Other key growth products include the epilepsy drug Fintepla, the rare disease therapies Rystiggo and Zilbrysq, as well as the osteoporosis treatment Evenity.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">The transaction still requires approval from competition authorities. UCB expects the acquisition to be completed by the end of the second quarter or the beginning of the third quarter.</p><p><sup><br>\u200bUCB&#039;s Biomanufacturing Operations Center in Braine l&#039;Alleud &copy; BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ</sup></p><hr /><p><strong>Related news</strong></p><div id=\"bookmark-233bfd3a-3907-40b4-8a57-1e1a681d0247\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-biopharma-company-ucb-opens-new-gene-therapy-facility-in-walloon-brabant\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2F5da585af-5c3b-406b-bfb2-d0a418ff56a2%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=719b8089418225bfbd3a93cd39490168)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-biopharma-company-ucb-opens-new-gene-therapy-facility-in-walloon-brabant\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"233bfd3a-3907-40b4-8a57-1e1a681d0247\"\n           >\n                Belgian biopharma company UCB opens new gene therapy facility in Walloon Brabant            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                The Belgian biopharmaceutical company UCB has officially opened its new gene therapy facility in Braine-l&#039;Alleud, Walloon Brabant province, on...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Fbelgian-biopharma-company-ucb-opens-new-gene-therapy-facility-in-walloon-brabant&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n<div id=\"bookmark-24c029b9-7970-46b3-ad7c-1393f459b52f\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/pharma-group-ucb-raises-profit-forecast-after-strong-first-half-year\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2F9ea6ccc0-6d64-47d4-ab6c-b64ad9cafa33%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=c730f2c08214142647d6143578ade2ac)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/pharma-group-ucb-raises-profit-forecast-after-strong-first-half-year\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"24c029b9-7970-46b3-ad7c-1393f459b52f\"\n           >\n                Pharma group UCB raises profit forecast after strong first half-year            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Belgian pharmaceutical group UCB saw its turnover rise to 3.49 billion euros in the first half of the year, an increase of 25 per cent...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Fpharma-group-ucb-raises-profit-forecast-after-strong-first-half-year&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n",
    "header": {
        "large": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/156d09bb-1415-4b8c-b350-2c935fe04462/-/preview/1200x1200/-/format/auto/",
        "release": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/156d09bb-1415-4b8c-b350-2c935fe04462/-/preview/1200x1200/-/format/auto/"
    },
    "links": [
        {
            "description": "UCB announces plans to build drug manufacturing plant in US",
            "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/ucb-announces-plans-to-build-drug-manufacturing-plant-in-us"
        },
        {
            "description": "Belgian biopharma company UCB opens new gene therapy facility in Walloon Brabant",
            "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-biopharma-company-ucb-opens-new-gene-therapy-facility-in-walloon-brabant"
        },
        {
            "description": "Pharma group UCB raises profit forecast after strong first half-year",
            "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/pharma-group-ucb-raises-profit-forecast-after-strong-first-half-year"
        }
    ],
    "author": {
        "first_name": "Flanders",
        "last_name": "News Service"
    },
    "format_version": 5
}