Our bold ambition for severe neurological diseases

It’s more than twenty years after the term “the decade of the brain” was first coined; a period that saw huge advances in neuroimaging, genomics, understanding of neuroplasticity and an appreciation of the molecular mechanisms underpinning neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Today, that enthusiasm for neurology remains a cornerstone of our work at UCB.

Each day, we are gaining a greater understanding of the science behind the brain, and the pathobiology of many of the neurological conditions which still evade cure.

This increased understanding allows us to continue to innovate to bring differentiated solutions to people living with severe neurological diseases.

We prioritize research that goes where patient insight and science leads us, moving our portfolio towards differentiated solutions with higher predictability of response for each patient.

By developing differentiated solutions for specific patient populations, we are taking tangible steps to move from symptomatic treatment to disease modification, and possibly towards a curative approach for certain conditions.

We continue to lead in epilepsy, and have an increasing focus on more targeted, precision-based interventions that can improve the lives of specific populations with rare syndromes that historically have been difficult to treat. We’ve also moved into rarer neuro-muscular conditions such as myasthenia gravis, where there is a significant unmet need for treatment options and care.

Most importantly, is how advances in science are allowing us to get ever closer to the goal of addressing neurodegeneration by halting the progression of very severe diseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, which are lifelong and evolve and worsen over time.

We believe disease modification is the next frontier in neurology, it is at the center of UCB’s strategy in research and development, and this is an area we will see a significant advance in over the next decade.

A key tool facilitating advancement in neurological research is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is constantly improving its interpretation of scientific language and data processing. At UCB, AI acts as a super assistant to our scientists, enhancing our ability to discover medicines faster – helping our scientists to better understand certain processes, speeding up our ability to screen molecules, and therefore shortening the innovation cycle by enhancing our ability to digest large volumes of data.

As we continue to innovate, the promise of a cure for debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, drives us on. A deepening understanding of our patients’ experiences brings us ever closer to serving an unmet need for millions, giving those with severe neurological diseases, the best life possible.