REG - AstraZeneca PLC - AstraZeneca agrees obesity and T2D deal with CSPC

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RNS Number : 0023R  AstraZeneca PLC  30 January 2026

30 January 2026

 

AstraZeneca enhances its weight management portfolio through collaboration
agreement with CSPC Pharmaceuticals

 

Agreement includes eight programmes, including a clinical-ready asset, plus
access to advanced AI-driven peptide drug discovery platform and innovative
monthly dosing technology

 

AstraZeneca strengthens its weight management portfolio through a new
strategic collaboration agreement with CSPC Pharmaceuticals to advance the
development of multiple next-generation therapies for obesity and type 2
diabetes across eight programmes. Under this agreement, the companies will
initially progress four programmes, which utilise CSPC's advanced AI-driven
peptide drug discovery platform and their proprietary LiquidGel once-monthly
dosing platform technology.

 

AstraZeneca will receive exclusive global rights outside of China to CSPC's
once-monthly injectable weight management portfolio, comprising one
clinical-ready asset, SYH2082, a long-acting GLP1R/GIPR agonist progressing
into Phase I and three preclinical programmes with differing mechanisms
designed to provide extended therapeutic benefits for people living with
obesity and weight-related conditions.

 

Sharon Barr, Executive Vice President and Head of BioPharmaceuticals R&D,
AstraZeneca, said: "This strategic collaboration advances our weight
management portfolio by delivering novel assets which complement our existing
programmes. It will provide access to CSPC's proprietary AI-enabled peptide
capabilities and platform technology, which have the potential to transform
the treatment of obesity, helping to address adherence and convenience as key
barriers to long-term therapeutic success.  This is an important step in
creating a portfolio of simple, scalable and sustainable options that can help
people with obesity, and weight-related complications live better, healthier
lives."

 

Dongchen Cai, Chairman of the Board, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd, said "We
are very excited to further expand and strengthen our strategic partnership
with AstraZeneca into the area of weight management. Obesity and related
comorbidities represent a significant health challenge but also an
opportunity.  We hope this win-win collaboration will deliver the next
generation of treatments that build upon the emerging science, using our
technology platforms and AstraZeneca's complementary capabilities and reach,
to realise global health benefits for people in need of improved weight
management."

 

AstraZeneca has optionality to pursue future metabolic programmes leveraging
CSPC's proprietary LiquidGel once-monthly dosing platform technology and holds
rights to deploy this across internal development programmes, broadening the
potential applications of their sustained-release formulation.  This could
help improve treatment adherence and support strong patient preference for
once-monthly regimens.

 

This collaboration complements AstraZeneca's existing weight management
portfolio which includes a growing pipeline of next generation treatments to
address the complexities of obesity, and weight-related complications,
pursuing multiple modalities and pathways in order to tailor treatment based
on individual needs. This includes elecoglipron (formerly AZD5004), a small
molecule oral GLP1RA; AZD6234 a weekly injectable selective amylin receptor
agonist (SARA); and AZD9550 a weekly injectable dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor
agonist, as well as a number of preclinical assets.

 

Financial Considerations

For access to eight programmes, as well as the advanced AI molecular design
capabilities and their proprietary LiquidGel once-monthly dosing platform
technology, CSPC will receive an upfront payment of $1.2 billion from
AstraZeneca. CSPC is also eligible to receive development and regulatory
milestones of up to $3.5 billion across all programmes. CSPC will also be
eligible for further commercialisation and sales milestones plus tiered
royalties.  The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of
2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances.

 

Under the agreement, CSPC will progress ongoing development of the four
programmes through Phase I completion, alongside the four new programmes.
Following successful completion of Phase I, AstraZeneca will be responsible
for further development and commercialisation in all territories outside of
China. CSPC retains all rights for China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, and
following successful approval, AstraZeneca has the right to opt-in to
co-commercialise these products. This agreement builds on existing strategic
collaborations between AstraZeneca and CSPC.

 

Notes

 

About obesity and weight-related complications

Nearly three billion people worldwide are estimated to be living with obesity
or overweight,(1) and with rates rapidly rising, effective, accessible
management options are urgently needed to address individual patient goals and
the soaring impact on healthcare systems and chronic disease. Obesity is
recognised as a chronic, relapsing, multifactorial disease and contributes to
over 200 complications, with cardiometabolic diseases as one of the most
common comorbidities.(2,3) Approximately 60% of people diagnosed with obesity
or overweight (BMI > 27 kg/m(2)) have at least one comorbidity.(4)

 

AstraZeneca in CVRM
(https://www.astrazeneca.com/our-therapy-areas/cardiovascular-renal-and-metabolism.html)
 

Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), part of BioPharmaceuticals, forms
one of AstraZeneca's main disease areas and is a key growth driver for the
Company. By following the science to understand more clearly the underlying
links between the heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas, AstraZeneca is investing
in a portfolio of medicines for organ protection by slowing or stopping
disease progression, and ultimately paving the way towards regenerative
therapies. The Company's ambition is to improve and save the lives of millions
of people, by better understanding the interconnections between CVRM diseases
and targeting the mechanisms that drive them, so we can detect, diagnose and
treat people earlier and more effectively.

 

AstraZeneca (https://www.astrazeneca.com/)

AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical
company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of
prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals,
including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory &
Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca's innovative medicines are
sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions of patients worldwide.
Please visit astrazeneca.com (http://www.astrazeneca.com/) and follow the
Company on Social Media @AstraZeneca
(https://www.linkedin.com/company/astrazeneca) .

 

 

Contacts

For details on how to contact the Investor Relations Team, please click here
(https://www.astrazeneca.com/investor-relations.html#Contacts) . For Media
contacts, click here (https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/contacts.html)
.

 

References

1.   World Obesity Federation. Prevalence of obesity  Internet . London:
World Obesity Federation; 2024. Available from:
https://www.worldobesity.org/about/about-obesity/prevalence-of-obesity
(https://www.worldobesity.org/about/about-obesity/prevalence-of-obesity) [Last
accessed: January 2026]

2.   World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight  Internet . Geneva:
World Health Organization; 2025. Available from:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
(https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight)
[Last accessed: January 2026]

3.   Ali MM, et al. Cardiometabolic comorbidities and complications of
obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD). J Clin Trans Endocrinol.
2024;36:100341.

4.   AstraZeneca. Data on file. 2024. REF-242321.

 

 

Matthew Bowden

Company Secretary

AstraZeneca PLC

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