UCB Completes the Acquisition of Ra Pharmaceuticals - to Deliver Differentiated Therapies to Patients

- The transaction, which was announced October 10, 2019, will enhance UCB's potential to be a leader in myasthenia gravis by adding zilucoplan, a peptide inhibitor of complement component 5 (C5) currently in phase 3, to the UCB pipeline alongside rozanolixizumab, UCB's FcRn targeting antibody which is also in phase 3

- Zilucoplan will enhance UCB's pipeline and Ra Pharma's ExtremeDiversity technology platform will accelerate UCB's long-term innovation capabilities

- The acquisition is expected to enable accelerated top and bottom line company growth from 2024 onwards

- Innovative research and development unit in Cambridge, MA adds to UCB's network and presence in Massachusetts and the greater Boston area of the U.S.

- Total transaction cash value of approximately US$ 2.3 billion / € 2.1 billion based on US$ 48 in cash per Ra Pharma share and taking Ra Pharma cash and settlement of acquisition related expenses into consideration

- The closing of this acquisition leads to an update of UCB's 2020 financial guidance and the mid-term target

BRUSSELS, April 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- UCB today announced that the acquisition of Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has been successfully completed and Ra Pharma is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of UCB. The former Ra Pharma shareholders received US$ 48 in cash for each Ra Pharma share held at closing.

Jean-Christophe Tellier, CEO UCB said: "In the last 15 months, we made several significant steps on UCB's strategic growth path, namely the "Accelerate and Expand" phase. This acquisition is a key part of this progress and an excellent strategic fit with UCB's strategy. Ra Pharma builds upon our collective strengths and talents and adds to our strong internal growth opportunities. Zilucoplan gives us the opportunity to become a leader in treating people living with myasthenia gravis, an auto-antibody mediated neurological orphan disease with high unmet medical need. The acquisition also strengthens our neurology and immunology franchises with late and early-stage pipeline projects and adds a highly productive technology platform to our innovation engine."