Biogen Idec and UCB Enter Agreements to Commercialize Multiple Sclerosis and Hemophilia Therapies in Asia

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & BRUSSELS, Belgium

Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and UCB (Euronext: UCB) announced today that they have signed exclusive agreements granting UCB the right to commercialize Biogen Idec products in South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, and both develop and commercialize products in China.

As part of the relationship, Biogen Idec will supply UCB with its portfolio of multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies and investigational candidates, including TECFIDERA^®, FAMPYRA^®, AVONEX^®, TYSABRI^®, PLEGRIDY^™ and Daclizumab High-Yield Process (DAC HYP). The relationship also includes ELOCTATE^™ and ALPROLIX^™, Biogen Idec’s investigational long-acting recombinant candidates for hemophilia A and B, respectively.

“Our goal is to bring our innovative therapies to patients around the world as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Carlos Dourado, Senior Vice President, Emerging Markets at Biogen Idec. “By leveraging UCB’s extensive resources, expertise and infrastructure in Asia, we believe we can grow our footprint in critical Asian markets, get our therapies to patients more quickly and create a foundation for further commercial success in this region.”

“As a patient centric biopharmaceutical company, UCB is delighted to work with Biogen Idec on delivering some of the most important breakthrough products in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and hemophilia to patients in Asia,” said Mohamed Chaoui, Head of Asia Pacific at UCB. “This partnership is a strong complement in our goal to offer innovative specialty care therapeutic options to patients suffering from severe diseases. It further supports our strategic goal to strengthen our leadership and expertise in biologics in both neurology and immunology in China and the Asian region.”

Mr. Chaoui added, “We are committed to strengthening our presence in Asia and offering patients and healthcare providers in the Asian region access to new and innovative treatment options. This agreement is also an important step for our specialty focused expansion in China. It will help drive our business growth in key emerging markets, which is one of UCB’s top strategic priorities.”

About Biogen Idec

Through cutting-edge science and medicine, Biogen Idec discovers, develops and delivers to patients worldwide innovative therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hemophilia and autoimmune disorders. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is the world’s oldest independent biotechnology company. Patients worldwide benefit from its leading multiple sclerosis therapies. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the Company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.

Biogen Idec Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about Biogen Idec’s goals and expectations to expand access to its MS and hemophilia product portfolios in certain Asian markets through its agreement with UCB. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “will” and other words and terms of similar meaning. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including risks and uncertainties associated with drug development and commercialization, Biogen Idec’s dependence on third parties over which it may not always have full control, risks of doing business internationally and the other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of Biogen Idec’s most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are based on current beliefs and expectations and speak only as of the date of this press release. Biogen Idec does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements.

About UCB

UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With 9000 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of EUR 3.4 billion in 2012. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).

UCB Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial information, expected legal, political, regulatory or clinical results and other such estimates and results. By their nature, such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions which could cause actual results to differ materially from those that may be implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or to obtain them on acceptable terms, costs associated with research and development, changes in the prospects for products in the pipeline or under development by UCB, effects of future judicial decisions or governmental investigations, product liability claims, challenges to patent protection for products or product candidates, changes in laws or regulations, exchange rate fluctuations, changes or uncertainties in tax laws or the administration of such laws and hiring and retention of its employees. UCB is providing this information as of the date of this press release and expressly disclaims any duty to update any information contained in this press release, either to confirm the actual results or to report a change in its expectations.

There is no guarantee that new product candidates in the pipeline will progress to product approval or that new indications for existing products will be developed and approved. Products or potential products which are the subject of partnerships, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differences between the partners. Also, UCB or others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its products after they are marketed.

Moreover, sales may be impacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health care cost containment and the reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biopharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement.

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