UCB accelerates ambitions in gene therapy with two deals

Belgian drugmaker UCB (Euronext: UCB) has announced the acquisition of Handl Therapeutics along with a new collaboration with Lacerta Therapeutics.

Both of the firms are gene therapy companies and the deals are evidence of UCB’s ambition in the space and its vision to move from symptomatic treatments to disease modification and eventually towards a cure.

Michael Linden, founder and chief executive of Belgium-based Handl, said: “Handl was formed with the goal of harnessing today’s new frontiers in science and technology, and delivering transformative and advanced medicines to patients. Knowing that UCB shares this goal, too, gives me great confidence that our combined resources and expertise will provide the best possible chance of making this a reality.”