UCB Reinforces Long-Standing Commitment to Rheumatology at American College of Rheumatology 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting

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Nov 04, 2011, 03:00 ET

ATLANTA, Nov. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UCB, a leading biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of immunology treatment and research, is marking the 2011 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) meeting by reinforcing its commitment to people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their healthcare providers. At this year's ACR meeting, UCB is proud to sponsor several key sets of data with new findings on patient-reported quality of life measures, including work and household productivity, as well as other clinical response measures.

"The annual ACR meeting is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate UCB's commitment to rheumatologists and their patients," said Neil McFarlane, Vice President, Immunology Business Unit, UCB, Inc. "Through our body of data at this year's meeting, it is our goal to engage in meaningful dialogue regarding optimal treatment for rheumatoid arthritis."

UCB will not have a promotional booth at the meeting this year, but will staff a medical booth to respond to questions from health care providers.

An Enduring Passion for Patient Care

UCB continues to demonstrate its aspiration of being the patient-centric global biopharmaceutical leader that transforms the lives of people living with severe diseases through scientific research, advocacy and programming. The company provides financial support for important professional and patient programs, including:

Within Our Reach: Finding a Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis Campaign: UCB is a Pinnacle donor of the $30-plus million ACR Research and Education Foundation (REF) campaign to fund a multi-year research initiative to accelerate high-risk, high-reward research in rheumatoid arthritis not normally funded by the National Institutes of Health or other peer reviewed funding sources. Investigator-initiated and pilot grants are awarded to projects that address basic, translational, and clinical aspects of rheumatoid arthritis.

ACR REF Industry Roundtable: The roundtable brings together leaders from the ACR REF and the pharmaceutical industry in a dynamic partnership, with the goal of ensuring that well-trained, qualified rheumatologists are entering the field and making advancements in patient care.

Harvard-UCB Research Alliance: The alliance was forged to build a unique drug discovery bridge between industry and academia by pushing the boundaries of translational research in order to change the lives of patients. UCB has committed $6 million over the next 2 years to fund innovative research led by Harvard scientists.

UCB RA Scholarship Program: Since 2008, UCB has awarded 101 scholarships, totaling $1,000,000 in education support. Scholarships are awarded to students diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and immediate family members of rheumatoid arthritis patients who are seeking higher education. The scholarship selection committee is comprised of top-ranking rheumatologists, a rheumatology nurse practitioner, and a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Reach Beyond RA: A vibrant and newly redesigned online patient resource, www.ReachBeyondRA.com offers robust lifestyle content for patients interested in solutions to better manage their lives with rheumatoid arthritis. The site includes:

Access to MyRAFitKit, a customizable fitness program designed specifically for patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Managing RA: The Strong Woman's Approach, a new initiative created by UCB and HealthyWomen to help educate, inspire, and empower women living with rheumatoid arthritis
Access to HelpPayRA, a library of financial assistance resources to help patients cover the costs of rheumatoid arthritis treatment

Arthritis Foundation Corporate Sponsorship: UCB's ongoing sponsorship of the Arthritis Foundation helps to raise awareness about arthritis, strengthen research efforts, and provide education to patients living with arthritis.

RA Local Events Sponsorships: UCB supports a number of local events for people living with rheumatoid arthritis to help educate individuals on managing their arthritis and to provide information on resources and tools to assist patients with improving.

For further Information:
Andrea Levin, Senior Manager, Communications and PR, UCB, Inc.
404.483.7329, [email protected]

Dena Koklanaris, Cooney/Waters Group
212.886.2228, [email protected]

About Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

RA affects more than 1.3 million Americans, and it is estimated that 5 million people suffer from RA globally. Prevalence is not split evenly between genders, since women are three times more likely to be affected than men. Although RA can affect people of all ages, the onset of the disease usually occurs between 35-55 years of age.

About UCB

UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb-usa.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 8,500 people in more than 40 countries, the company generated revenue of euro 3.2 billion in 2010. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).

For further information on UCB products, please visit www.UCB.com.

Forward looking statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those that may be implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, effects of future judicial decisions, changes in regulation, exchange rate fluctuations and hiring and retention of its employees.

SOURCE UCB