UCB to purchase Neurona and NRTX-1001 for $1.15bn

The deal value comprises an upfront payment of up to $650m and up to $500m in future milestones.

Subject to customary conditions and anti-trust clearance, the transaction is expected to close by the end of the second quarter (Q2) 2026.

Neurona Therapeutics develops regenerative cell therapies for epilepsy and other nervous system conditions.

Through the acquisition, UCB extends its focus into regenerative medicine and advanced treatments.

The agreement reflects the company’s strategy to pursue inorganic growth and diversify its treatment offerings beyond symptomatic management.

UCB CEO Jean-Christophe Tellier said: “The proposed acquisition of Neurona Therapeutics demonstrates our innovation strategy in action and reinforces UCB’s commitment to delivering meaningful innovation to people living with epilepsy, particularly forms of epilepsy with high unmet need.

“For more than 30 years, UCB has helped shape the modern epilepsy landscape. Bringing NRTX 1001 into our portfolio allows us to extend that legacy into the era of regenerative medicine.

“We believe this therapy has the potential to provide durable targeted repair of the nervous system following a single dose and could represent a major step forward for people living with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.”

NRTX-1001, a neuronal cell therapy, is under investigation in Phase I/II trials, assessing the safety, tolerability, and impact on seizure frequency in patients with drug-resistant unilateral and bilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE), including those with and without mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS).

Administered as a minimally invasive single brain dose, the therapy delivers cells producing the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), aiming to rebalance neural circuits and achieve seizure reduction.

Bank of America and Centerview Partners are serving as financial advisers for UCB and Neurona, respectively.

Covington & Burling is providing legal counsel to UCB and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati to Neurona.

In December 2025, Citizen Health entered a multi-year strategic partnership with UCB for expediting drug development across five rare diseases and epilepsy.

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