Pharma BD Deal Intelligence
AstraZeneca and CSPC Pharmaceutical Group announced (early July 2026) a drug-discovery collaboration to develop nucleic-acid (siRNA) candidates against two undisclosed kidney-disease pathways, combining CSPC's siRNA chemistry with AI-driven molecular design. AstraZeneca pays CSPC USD 30 million upfront, with up to USD 540 million in development milestones and up to USD 1.2 billion in sales-linked payments (up to ~USD 1.77 billion total), plus royalties. AstraZeneca holds global / ex-China licensing options while CSPC retains domestic rights for one asset. The pact extends AstraZeneca's expanding relationship with CSPC across obesity, cardiovascular and chronic disease. (Announcement date reported as July 2-3, 2026.)