a7769q
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 February 2023
Commission
File Number: 001-11960
AstraZeneca PLC
1
Francis Crick Avenue
Cambridge
Biomedical Campus
Cambridge
CB2 0AA
United
Kingdom
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AstraZeneca PLC
INDEX
TO EXHIBITS
1.
AstraZeneca enters agreement with KYM for CMG901
23 February 2023 07:00 GMT
AstraZeneca enters license agreement with KYM Biosciences for
CMG901, a Claudin-18.2 antibody drug conjugate
CMG901 expands AstraZeneca's commitment in gastric
cancer
AstraZeneca and KYM Biosciences Inc.i have
entered into a global exclusive licence agreement for CMG901, a
potential first-in-class antibody drug conjugate (ADC) targeting
Claudin 18.2, a promising therapeutic target in gastric cancer.
Under the licence agreement, AstraZeneca will be responsible for
the research, development, manufacture and commercialisation of
CMG901 globally.
CMG901 is currently being evaluated in a Phase I clinical trial for
the treatment of Claudin 18.2-positive solid tumours, including
gastric cancer. Preliminary results from the Phase I trial have
shown an encouraging clinical profile for CMG901, with early signs
of anti-tumour activity across the dose levels tested.
Puja Sapra, Senior Vice President, Biologics Engineering &
Oncology Targeted Delivery, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, said,
"We are excited by the opportunity to accelerate the development of
CMG901, a potential new medicine for patients with
Claudin18.2-expressing cancers. CMG901 strengthens our growing
pipeline of antibody drug conjugates and supports our ambition to
expand treatment options and transform outcomes for patients with
gastrointestinal cancers."
Dr Bo Chen, Chief Executive Officer of Keymed and Board Chairman of
KYM Biosciences, said, "We are pleased to announce our agreement
with AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical company with
leadership in developing and commercializing novel anti-cancer
therapies. This is not only a recognition of CMG901, a potential
first-in-class Claudin 18.2 ADC, but also Keymed's internal
discovery and development capabilities. The global scope of this
agreement has the potential to benefit patients in China, and
throughout the world."
Financial considerations
AstraZeneca will make an upfront payment of $63m on transaction
closing and additional development and sales-related milestone
payments of up to $1.1bn to KYM Biosciences as well as tiered
royalties up to low double digits.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2023,
subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances.
The transaction does not impact AstraZeneca's financial guidance
for 2023.
i. KYM Biosciences
is a joint venture established by affiliates of Keymed Biosciences
and Lepu Biopharma.
Notes
CMG901
CMG901 is a novel antibody drug conjugate targeting Claudin 18.2,
and consists of an anti-Claudin 18.2 monoclonal antibody, a
protease-degradable linker, and a cytotoxic small molecule
monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE). CMG901 is being developed for the
treatment of solid tumours that express the cell surface protein
Claudin 18.2, including gastric cancers. CMG901 is owned by KYM
Biosciences Inc. (KYM), a joint venture established by affiliates
of Keymed Biosciences (70% of KYM ownership) and Lepu Biopharma
(30% of KYM ownership).
AstraZeneca in gastrointestinal cancers
AstraZeneca has a broad development programme for the treatment of
gastrointestinal (GI) cancers across several medicines and a
variety of tumour types and stages of disease. In 2020, GI cancers
collectively represented approximately 5.1 million new cancer cases
leading to approximately 3.6 million deaths.1
Within this programme, the Company is committed to improving
outcomes in gastric, liver, biliary tract, oesophageal, pancreatic
and colorectal cancers.
Imfinzi (durvalumab) is approved in the US in combination
with chemotherapy (gemcitabine plus cisplatin) for advanced biliary
tract cancer and in combination with Imjudo in unresectable hepatocellular
carcinoma. Imfinzi is being assessed in combinations,
including with Imjudo in liver, oesophageal and gastric
cancers in an extensive development programme spanning early to
late-stage disease across settings.
Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), a HER2-directed antibody
drug conjugate, is approved in HER2-positive advanced gastric
cancer and is being assessed in colorectal
cancer. Enhertu is jointly developed and commercialised by
AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo.
Lynparza (olaparib), a first-in-class PARP inhibitor, is
approved in BRCA-mutated metastatic pancreatic cancer. Lynparza is
developed and commercialised in collaboration with MSD (Merck &
Co., Inc. inside the US and Canada).
AstraZeneca in oncology
AstraZeneca is leading a revolution in oncology with the ambition
to provide cures for cancer in every form, following the science to
understand cancer and all its complexities to discover, develop and
deliver life-changing medicines to patients.
The Company's focus is on some of the most challenging cancers. It
is through persistent innovation that AstraZeneca has built one of
the most diverse portfolios and pipelines in the industry, with the
potential to catalyse changes in the practice of medicine and
transform the patient experience.
AstraZeneca has the vision to redefine cancer care and, one day,
eliminate cancer as a cause of death.
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led
biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery,
development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in
Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including
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.
References
1. World Health Organization. World Cancer Fact Sheet. Available
at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/900-world-fact-sheets.pdf.
Accessed February 2023.
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:
23 February 2023
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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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