UCB has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Neurona Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company developing regenerative cell therapies for epilepsy. The transaction includes an upfront cash payment of USD 650 million and potential additional milestone payments of up to USD 500 million, for a total deal value of up to USD 1.15 billion. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of Q2 2026 and will expand UCB's neuroscience portfolio with Neurona's lead candidate, NRTX-1001.

NRTX-1001 is an investigational cell therapy in Phase I/II trials for drug-resistant medial temporal lobe epilepsy. The therapy involves the surgical implantation of inhibitory interneurons designed to restore balance to hyperactive neural circuits. The candidate has received priority medicines (PRIME) designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and regenerative medicine advanced therapy (RMAT) designation from US regulators. The deal underscores UCB's strategy to invest in next-generation therapies for severe neurological conditions.

According to PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database, NRTX-1001 is leads the pack of epilepsy cell therapies under development, together with Jadi Cell's Phase III mesenchymal stem cell therapy. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.