UCB and VHIR’s spinoff IMIDomics have announced that UCB has acquired IMIDomics Patient Insights Business. The strategic acquisition gives UCB direct access to one of the most advanced and deeply curated human datasets in immunology, significantly strengthening its ability to accelerate precision-driven therapeutic discovery and development.

At the centre of this deal is the IMID Biobank, created by VHIR, one of the most comprehensive immune-mediated inflammatory disease-focused biobanks in the world. Built over more than 18 years of clinical and molecular data generation, the biobank integrates epidemiological information, detailed clinical histories, imaging data, multiomic profiles, and longitudinal patient samples collected through a network of more than 300 investigators and 130 recruiting centres, with contributions from over 17,000 patients. Under the terms of a renewed agreement between VHIR and UCB, UCB will maintain continued access to VHIR-controlled human biological samples within the contractual framework established between both institutions.

“The acquisition of IMIDomics’ Patient Insight Business represents a significant step in our strategy to build the most robust, human data-driven platform in immune-mediated diseases. IMIDomics has spent one decade assembling a dataset and network that are simply not replicable in today’s environment. Integrating these capabilities will elevate our ability to discover and develop medicines that are truly informed by patient biology and we look forward to continuing this great collaboration with VHIR as we build on this strong foundation together,” said Alistair Henry, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at UCB.

Beyond the biobank, UCB gains access to IMIDomics’ skilled personnel and laboratories, proprietary genetics and omics datasets, and its analytical platform. This platform applies advanced biostatistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to uncover new therapeutic targets, responder biomarkers, and disease-subtype insights that can meaningfully de-risk and accelerate drug development. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Our mission has always been to bring the patient, through their biology, clinical journeys, and data, into every stage of drug development. UCB is the ideal partner to scale that mission. With their scientific depth and commitment to innovation, we are confident the Patient Insight Engine will continue to unlock meaningful breakthroughs for people living with IMIDs,” said Sara Marsal, head of the Rheumatology Service at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, head of VHIR’s Rheumatology research group at VHIR and IMID-Biobank, and co-founder of IMIDomics.

IMIDomics is a VHIR spin-off founded in 2013 with the aim of finding therapeutic and diagnostic solutions for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), a group of chronic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus, that affect more than 5% of the world’s population and represent a major socioeconomic burden due to their complexity, heterogeneity, and limited treatment options. IMIDomics works on the identification of biomarkers that predict disease susceptibility, treatment responses, and prognosis, which could provide major advances in managing these conditions.

Over the years, the company has built a unique precision medicine platform combining one of the world’s largest IMID-focused biobanks, extensive clinical expertise, high-throughput genomics, and advanced analytical methodologies. Key milestones include an initial investment of 700k and patent transfer in 2015.

UCB, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, 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 more than 9,000 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of €7.7 billion in 2025.