a0730h
FORM 6-K
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
Report
of Foreign Issuer
Pursuant
to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the
month of December 2020
Commission
File Number: 001-11960
AstraZeneca PLC
1
Francis Crick Avenue
Cambridge
Biomedical Campus
Cambridge
CB2 0AA
United
Kingdom
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by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
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by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
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as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ______
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by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information
to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes __
No X
If
“Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number
assigned to the Registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
82-_____________
AstraZeneca PLC
INDEX
TO EXHIBITS
1.
Crestor to be divested to Grünenthal in Europe
1 December 2020 07:00 GMT
Crestor to be divested to Grünenthal in
Europe
AstraZeneca has agreed to sell the rights
to Crestor (rosuvastatin) and
associated medicines in
over 30 countries in Europe, except the UK and Spain, to
Grünenthal GmbH (Grünenthal). Crestor is a statin approved for the treatment of
dyslipidaemia and hypercholesterolaemia.
Ruud Dobber, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals Business
Unit, said: "This agreement supports the management of our mature
medicines to enable reinvestment into the pipeline and bringing
new, innovative treatments to patients. Grünenthal previously
acquired the rights to several established AstraZeneca medicines
and is well placed to ensure continued access
to Crestor for patients across
Europe."
AstraZeneca will continue to manufacture and
supply Crestor to Grünenthal during a transition
period. AstraZeneca will also continue selling the
medicine in other countries, including those in North America, in
Japan, China and other emerging markets.
Financial considerations
The divestment is anticipated to close in the first quarter of
2021, subject to customary
closing conditions and regulatory clearances, upon which Grünenthal will make
an upfront, non-contingent payment to AstraZeneca of $320m and may
also make future milestone payments of up to $30m. Income
arising from the upfront and future payments will be reported in
AstraZeneca's financial statements within Other Operating Income
& Expense. The divestment will not impact the Company's
financial guidance for 2020.
Pursuant to London Stock Exchange listing rule 10.4.1R
(notification of class 2 transactions), the gross book value of
assets subject to the divestment as of 31 December 2019
was nil. In
2019, Crestor generated Product Sales of $136m and Profit
before Tax of $98m in the countries covered by the
agreement. The consideration will be paid in cash and the
proceeds used for general corporate purposes.
Crestor
Crestor (rosuvastatin) is
a statin, a lipid-lowering medicine, used to treat blood lipid
disorders and to prevent cardiovascular events, such as heart
attacks and strokes. Crestor produces its lipid modifying effects in two
ways: it blocks an enzyme in the liver causing the liver to make
less cholesterol, and it increases the uptake and breakdown by the
liver of cholesterol already in the blood. Crestor is approved as a lipid regulating medicine
in more than 100 countries.
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global,
science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the
discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription
medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy
areas - Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and
Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca
operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are
used by millions of patients worldwide. Please
visit astrazeneca.com and
follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca.
Contacts
For details on how to contact the Investor Relations Team, please
click here.
For Media contacts, click here.
Adrian Kemp
Company Secretary
AstraZeneca PLC
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date:
01 December
2020
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By: /s/
Adrian Kemp
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Name:
Adrian Kemp
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Title:
Company Secretary
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