UCB (Union chimique belge; Euronext: UCB), is a biopharmaceutical manufacturer headquartered in Brussels (Belgium).
UCB was founded in 1928 by Emmanuel Janssen, a Belgian businessman. Initially focused on industrial chemicals, the company also included a small pharmaceutical division based around Meurice Laboratories.
In the early 1950s, UCB set up a research centre where new medicines such as Atarax (hydroxyzine) were developed. Successful sales...
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UCB (Union chimique belge; Euronext: UCB), is a biopharmaceutical manufacturer headquartered in Brussels (Belgium).
UCB was founded in 1928 by Emmanuel Janssen, a Belgian businessman. Initially focused on industrial chemicals, the company also included a small pharmaceutical division based around Meurice Laboratories.
In the early 1950s, UCB set up a research centre where new medicines such as Atarax (hydroxyzine) were developed. Successful sales enabled the pharmaceutical division to expand, and led to the discovery of another important compound, called piracetam. This was marketed in the 1970s as Nootropil and used to treat memory and balance problems. It remains one of UCB's key products. At this time, UCB was a company focusing on three core areas: pharmaceuticals, chemicals and films.
The success of Nootropil made it possible for UCB to build a modern pharmaceutical site in Braine-l'Alleud, south of Brussels. There, UCB developed Zyrtec (cetirizine), a blockbuster antihistamine....
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