Top Biopharmaceutical Company to Expand in Cobb County

Governor Perdue meets with UCB in Belgium, announces $5 million investment

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – Governor Sonny Perdue announced from Belgium today that UCB SA, a global biopharmaceutical leader based in Brussels, will expand the headquarters of its U.S. subsidiary, UCB Inc., in Cobb County. The expansion represents an investment of $5 million.

"Georgia’s pro-growth business climate has motivated this great company to expand its investment in our state," said Governor Perdue. "Our skilled workforce and strong growth environment for biotechnology are helping industry leaders like UCB flourish in Georgia."

The Governor called on UCB SA during his current business mission to Europe. He and company officials announced the expansion at a press conference held today in Brussels. Updates on the ongoing trade mission can be found at www.stateofgeorgiamissions.com.

UCB Inc.’s current facility in Cobb County, established in 1995, already employs 400 workers in research and development as well as administration. The company will expand an existing building on its 44-acre campus on Lake Park Drive in Smyrna.

"Atlanta, home of the U.S. headquarters of UCB, is our gateway to the North American market and one of our strategic sites. We are extremely pleased that the state of Georgia supports UCB on our road to building the next generation biopharma leader. For UCB’s future, it is important to maintain strong public and private relationships where we operate," said UCB Chief Executive Officer Roch Doliveux.

"We are excited about UCB, Inc.’s expansion and look forward to adding these new high-tech and high-paying jobs in our community," said Cobb County Commission Chairman Sam Olens.

The Cobb Chamber of Commerce and the county’s Office of Economic Development partnered with Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) staff, including Commissioner Ken Stewart and Project Manager Carol Henderson, to assist the company with its location.

Georgia is moving up quickly as a location of choice for the life sciences industry. The state is ranked seventh in the U.S. for the number of bioscience companies located here, and its life sciences industry has expanded at a rate three times faster than other industry sectors. Georgia’s research facilities encourage collaboration between the industry and universities like Emory University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Medical College of Georgia. Partners such as the Georgia Research Alliance, the Georgia Biomedical Partnership and the Advanced Technology Design Center ensure the state is able to attract the brightest minds as well as establish channels from research to commercialization. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Cancer Society and the Arthritis Foundation are all headquartered in the metro Atlanta region of Georgia.

UCB (www.ucb-group.com) is a leading global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology products in the fields of central nervous system disorders, allergy/respiratory diseases, immune and inflammatory disorders and oncology. UCB focuses on securing a leading position in severe disease categories. Employing more than 8,400 people in over 40 countries, UCB achieved revenue of 2.5 billion euro in 2006. UCB is listed on the Euronext Brussels Exchange and owns 87.6% of Schwarz Pharma.