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AstraZeneca strengthens its weight management portfolio through a new strategic collaboration agreement with China-based 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.
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.
