Astrazeneca has entered into a licensing agreement, potentially worth up to $2bn (£1.5bn), with China's CPSC Pharmaceutical Group for the development of a novel cardiovascular drug, as announced by the company on Monday, as reported by .
The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical behemoth will make an upfront payment of $100m (£76.5), along with additional milestone payments that could reach up to $1.9bn (£1.4bn), to license a preclinical small molecule designed to treat dyslipidemia.
Dyslipidemia is characterised by an abnormal or imbalanced level of lipids in the bloodstream, often leading to a significant risk for cardiovascular diseases.
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This deal bolsters Astrazeneca's cardiovascular portfolio, a crucial growth sector as the firm aims to broaden its range in managing cardio-metabolic diseases, including those associated with lipid disorders.
Last month, the pharmaceutical company became one of the latest 海角视频-listed firms to achieve a market valuation of £200bn, with its shares experiencing a nearly 20 per cent surge over the past year.
The new drug candidate, named YS2302018, targets lipoprotein (a), which is associated with multiple cardiovascular conditions.
Sharon Barr, Astrazeneca's head of bio-pharmaceutical R&D, stated: "This asset is an important addition to our cardiovascular pipeline and could help patients to more effectively manage their dyslipidaemia and related cardiometablic diseases".
"With cardiovascular diseases being a leading cause of death globally", she continued, "advancing novel therapies that can be used alone or in combination to effectively address known risk factors is particularly important".
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This agreement arrives at a time when the demand for innovative cardiovascular treatments is on the rise, fuelled by ageing populations and increasing rates of heart disease worldwide.
Astrazeneca's emphasis on high-growth areas stands in stark contrast to the challenging market conditions, where large pharmaceutical companies are grappling with patent cliffs and mounting pressure on drug pricing.