Pharma BD Deal Intelligence

UCB SA / Celltech Group plc

2004 · Acquisition/Merger · $2.7B · Complete

CALLED IT — OFF BY 17

Celltech's CDP870 became Cimzia — a ~$2B/year blockbuster that anchored UCB's transformation into a biopharma company for two decades

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The coverage arc

May 18, 2004 UCB Bullish

UCB launched a friendly £1.53B (~$2.7B) cash offer for Celltech, citing CDP870 and the antibody platform as creating Europe's #2 biopharma.

Jul 01, 2004 Nature Biotechnology Neutral

Nature Biotechnology characterized the Celltech acquisition as sending mixed messages on the UK biotech sector - validation of asset value but loss of the…

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Friendly offer £1.53B (~$2.7B); UK biotech; CDP870 lead asset; created Europe's #2 biopharma

Did it work? Outcome assessment

Celltech's CDP870 became Cimzia — a ~$2B/year blockbuster that anchored UCB's transformation into a biopharma company for two decades

Strategic verdict
Achieved Stated Rationale

Key facts

Related deals — scored

DealYearValueOutcome
UCB SA / Celltech Group plc (this deal)2004$2.7B92
UCB SA / Schwarz Pharma AG2006$5.6B80
Johnson & Johnson / Centocor Inc.1999$4.9B92
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. / Millennium Pharmaceuticals2003$8.8B82
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company / Celgene Corporation2019$74.0B77
Biogen Idec Inc. / Elan Corporation plc (Tysabri rights)2013$3.2B77
Gilead Sciences Inc. / CymaBay Therapeutics2024$4.4B76

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