Pharma BD Deal Intelligence
AstraZeneca entered a research collaboration and equity investment with Cellectis (Nasdaq/Euronext: CLLS) on November 28, 2023 to design up to 10 cell and gene therapy candidates across oncology, immunology and rare disease using Cellectis' TALEN gene-editing platform and manufacturing capabilities. AstraZeneca paid $105M initially ($25M upfront cash plus an $80M equity investment at $5.00/share, ~22% stake), with each of the up to 10 candidate products eligible for an IND option fee plus development, regulatory and sales milestones ranging from $70M up to $220M per product, plus tiered royalties. AstraZeneca subsequently completed an additional $140M equity investment at $5.00/share on May 6, 2024 (after French Ministry of Economy clearance and Cellectis shareholder approval), lifting its stake to approximately 44% of share capital / 30% of voting rights and adding two AstraZeneca directors to the Cellectis board. By December 31, 2024 three programs were in initial development under the joint research collaboration agreement (two allogeneic CAR-T candidates for hematological malignancies and solid tumors, and one in vivo gene therapy for a genetic disorder), with $47M paid to Cellectis to date ($25M upfront plus $22M in development milestones). The collaboration remained active as of January 2026. AstraZeneca's equity backing extends Cellectis' cash runway into mid-2027.