UK pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca (NASDAQ: AZN, LON: AZN) has announced the signing of an exclusive license agreement with China-based CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd (HKEX: 01093). The deal grants AstraZeneca the rights to develop YS2302018, a preclinical stage oral Lp(a) disruptor intended for lipid-lowering therapy to treat various cardiovascular disease (CVD) indications. The molecule has the potential to be used in conjunction with AstraZeneca’s PCSK9 inhibitor, AZD0780.
AstraZeneca will pay an upfront fee of USD 100 million and is committed to potential milestone payments of up to USD 1.92 billion for development and commercialization, in addition to tiered royalties on future sales.
High levels of Lp(a) and LDL-c in the plasma are significant risk factors for CVDs, which are linked to approximately 2.6 million deaths globally each year. AstraZeneca is specifically targeting dyslipidemia with its oral PCSK9 inhibitor, AZD0780, and has reported positive Phase I data for this molecule in May 2024. The company had previously expanded its pipeline of oral PCSK9 inhibitors through the acquisition of Dogma Therapeutics in September 2020.- Flcube.com
