UCB agrees to buy Neurona Therapeutics and its epilepsy cell therapy for up to $1.15B

UCB/Rezanecel (NRTX-1001)

UCB, a long-time maker of epilepsy drugs, agreed to acquire Neurona for $650M upfront and up to $500M in milestones. It is UCB's first big step into cell therapy, a bet that replacing lost inhibitory neurons can help where pills fail.

• $650M upfront plus up to $500M in milestone payments.
• NRTX-1001 is a single, minimally invasive brain dose of GABA-producing cells made from pluripotent stem cells.
• Holds FDA RMAT and EMA PRIME designations.
• Closing was expected by the end of Q2 2026, subject to antitrust clearance.