From Yahoo Finance: 2025-06-13 04:40:00

AstraZeneca signed a $5.3 billion AI research deal with China’s CSPC Pharmaceutical Group to develop therapies for chronic conditions. This collaboration aims to discover pre-clinical candidates, including a small molecule oral therapy for immunological diseases. AstraZeneca will pay CSPC an upfront fee of $110 million, with potential milestone payments totaling $5.22 billion.

The agreement comes as AstraZeneca aims to strengthen its presence in China, its second-largest market, following challenges such as the arrest of its China president and potential fines related to imports. AstraZeneca recently announced a $2.5 billion investment in a R&D hub in Beijing and has been expanding its AI collaborations with companies like Immunai, Qure.ai, and Tempus AI.

Both AstraZeneca and CSPC have diverse pipeline portfolios, including cancer treatments and cardiovascular disease therapies. CSPC generates about 80% of its revenue from finished drugs, prompting the company to explore new licensing and collaboration opportunities. AstraZeneca gains exclusive licensing rights for candidates identified through this collaboration, further boosting its pipeline offerings.



Read more at Yahoo Finance: AstraZeneca signs AI research deal with China’s CSPC for chronic diseases