AstraZeneca (AZ) has entered into an exclusive licence agreement worth over $1.9bn to advance CSPC Pharmaceutical Group’s pre-clinical lipid-lowering therapy, strengthening the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker’s cardiovascular portfolio.
The deal gives AZ access to YS2302018, an early-stage small molecule Lipoprotein (a) disruptor that could offer additional benefits for patients with dyslipidaemia. Estimated to cause 2.6 million deaths globally every year, the condition is characterised by elevated lipid and lipoprotein levels in the blood.
High levels of Lipoprotein (a), as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, can significantly increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes such as coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure.
However, more than 70% of patients receiving lipid-lowering therapies do not achieve their LDL- cholesterol target, underscoring the need for new treatment options.
AZ said YS2302018 has potential in a range of cardiovascular disease indications as both a single-agent or as part of combination treatment, including with its oral small molecule PCSK9 inhibitor, AZD0780.
Under the terms of the agreement, CSPC will receive an upfront payment of $100m and will be eligible for up to $1.92bn in further development and commercialisation milestones plus tiered royalties.
Sharon Barr, executive vice president and head of biopharmaceuticals research and development, AZ, said: “This asset is an important addition to our cardiovascular pipeline and could help patients to more effectively manage their dyslipidaemia and related cardiometabolic diseases.
“Given the scale of unmet need, with cardiovascular disease being a leading cause of death globally, advancing novel therapies that can be used alone or in combination to effectively address known risk factors and advance patient care is particularly important and a key part of our strategy.”
Also commenting on the deal, Dongchen Cai, chairman of the board, CSPC, said “Lipoprotein (a) represents a very important target for dyslipidaemia and is implicated in multiple cardiometabolic diseases.
“Through this agreement with AZ and [its] global capabilities in clinical development and commercialisation, we look forward to accelerating the development of YS2302018, a novel small molecule Lipoprotein (a) disruptor to benefit the millions of patients worldwide living with these diseases.”