UCB transfers UK-based medicinal chemistry programme

UCB has signed a contract with BioFocus DPI – the service division of Galapagos – to gain its chemistry services for one of its medicinal chemistry programmes.

The total value of the contract could exceed four million euros (3.1 million pounds), with Galapagos also eligible to receive up to 500,000 euros upon the attainment of certain conditions.

Under the terms of the deal, UCB will transfer a team of chemists to BioFocus DPI from its recently-closed research site in Cambridge, with BioFocus DPI continuing the work previously being conducted at UCB.

BioFocus DPI will look to take the programme towards candidate selection stage, with UCB offering support in biology for the programme.

Chris Newton, senior vice-president of BioFocus DPI, said: “This innovative deal structure allows UCB to progress their program externally while applying the specific project expertise that UCB has already built internally.”

He added this deal underlines the flexibility of BioFocus DPI in meeting client needs.

Dr Neil Weir, senior vice-president of research at UCB, said the company is delighted to cooperate with BioFocus DPI by combining both companies’ expertise to successfully advance this programme.

In May 2008, UCB said its financial results for the first quarter were as expected, with some successes and some minor setbacks.