UCB Announces 2009 Rheumatoid Arthritis Scholarship Program

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UCB Announces 2009 Rheumatoid Arthritis Scholarship Program

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UCB Offers 30, One-Time Scholarships of up to $10,000 each to Individuals

Reaching Beyond the Boundaries of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fulfilling

Educational Ambitions

ATLANTA, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Applications are now being accepted for the

2009 UCB Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Scholarship Program. The program, now in

its second year, will award 30, one-time scholarships of up to $10,000 each

to patients diagnosed with RA or their immediate family members who are

seeking an associate's, undergraduate, or graduate degree or enrolled in a

trade school educational program. RA is a progressive autoimmune disease

that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, often making even the

simplest everyday tasks very difficult to undertake.

" The UCB Rheumatoid Arthritis Scholarship Program offers this award to

students who demonstrate extraordinary strength and perseverance to fulfill

their academic ambitions despite challenges posed by rheumatoid arthritis, "

said Weinblatt, M.D., chairman of the scholarship selection board.

Applicants are selected by a group of nationally known rheumatologists,

health care professionals and advocates. Applicants are judged on their

academic ambition and their demonstrated ability to overcome the limitations

associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

" The UCB RA scholarship reflects our company's commitment to provide

patients and their families with resources to help them reach beyond the

boundaries of their disease, " said , a vice president and

general manager at UCB. " It is our goal that this scholarship program will

enable the winners to further their education and enjoy the benefits that

this accomplishment will offer. "

More information about the program is available at

www.reachbeyondra.com/scholarship or by calling 888.854.4996.

About the 2009 UCB Family RA Scholarship

This program is designed for students of any age who have been diagnosed

with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or the immediate family member of a person

with rheumatoid arthritis. Applicants must be legal and permanent residents

of the United States and must be diagnosed by a physician. Only those who

are seeking an associate's, undergraduate, or graduate degree, or enrolled

in a trade school educational program; or enrolled in/awaiting acceptance

from a United States-based institution of higher education for the fall

semester of 2009 may apply.

Applicants must also be individuals who demonstrate academic ambition and

embrace a way of life that overcomes the boundaries of living with RA.

Employees of UCB and their immediate family members are not eligible for

this scholarship.

Applications are available to download on www.reachbeyondra.com. Applicants

must submit a hard copy of the application, along with all additional listed

components, for eligibility. All applications must be postmarked by March

20, 2009; applications postmarked after this date will not be considered.

Selection of recipients will be at the sole discretion of a panel of judges

comprised of medical professionals chosen by UCB. Winners will be notified

by June 22, 2009 with both a personal telephone call from UCB and a

confirmation letter.

About Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive autoimmune disease that causes

chronic inflammation of the joints. It is estimated that five million people

suffer from RA globally, with 0.3 percent to 1 percent of the population in

industrialized countries suffering from RA. It is estimated that,

approximately 1.3 million people in the United States have RA. Women are

three times more likely to be affected than men. Although it can affect

people of all ages, the onset of RA usually occurs between the ages of

35-55.

Symptoms of RA include joint stiffness, joint pain, inflammation of the

affected areas and an associated reduction in mobility. These symptoms can

be intermittent and vary in severity from patient to patient. In more severe

cases RA can eventually lead to disability. RA patients are also at a higher

risk of developing other conditions, in particular heart disease, stroke,

infections, lung problems and osteoporosis.

As there is currently no cure for RA, treatment goals center on disease

management and controlling symptoms. Treatment is aimed at controlling

disease progression, providing pain relief and reducing swelling, preventing

joint damage and deformity and maintaining function of the affected joints

to prevent disability.

About UCB

UCB is a global leader in the biopharmaceutical industry dedicated to the

research, development and commercialization of innovative medicines with a

focus on the fields of central nervous system and immunology disorders.

Employing approximately 12,000 people in more than 40 countries, UCB

achieved revenue of 3.6 billion euro in 2007. UCB is listed on NYSE Euronext

(symbol: UCB). Worldwide headquarters is located in Brussels, Belgium; U.S.

headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information about UCB,

visit www.ucb-group.com.