UCB voices dedication to helping epileptic sufferers

UCB has a commitment to helping people with severe conditions improve their lives, it has stated.

The company has partnered with the medical online community PatientsLikeMe to create an internet-based society for epilepsy sufferers.

Patients will be able to submit information about their condition and the details will be collected on the platform to be analysed and reflected on.

It is thought sufferers will be able to share with others about how they control their seizures and what their own personal goals are.

The business is the first pharmaceutical company to partner with the organisation to work on such a project.

Roch Doliveux, chief-executive officer of UCB, commented on the collaboration.

He said: “This partnership is exciting because for the first time, patients will be able to contribute their experiences and real-world data to ongoing epilepsy research.”

It is hoped the website will be launched at the beginning of 2010.

Last month, UCB announced its antiepileptic drug Vimpat (lacosamide) was available in some pharmacies.