AstraZeneca has reached a definitive agreement to acquire the remaining 50% stake in the Chinese development and commercialization rights for C-CAR031 from its partner, AbelZeta. This strategic buyout grants AstraZeneca full global authority over the innovative cell therapy, consolidating its manufacturing and regulatory strategy under a single global umbrella.
“Armored” technology tackling solid tumors C-CAR031 is an investigational autologous CAR-T therapy targeting Glypican 3 (GPC3), a protein frequently overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The therapy stands out due to its advanced engineering:
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Armoring platform: Utilizing AstraZeneca’s proprietary dominant-negative TGF-beta receptor II platform, the CAR-T cells are modified to withstand the immunosuppressive microenvironment of solid tumors, which typically limits the effectiveness of cell therapies.
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Clinical Performance: Data presented in 2024 revealed an objective response rate (ORR) of 56.5% across all dose levels, peaking at 75% for the highest dose in heavily pretreated, advanced HCC patients.
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Safety Profile: The trial reported manageable safety results, with no observed dose-limiting toxicities or severe neurotoxicity syndromes (ICANS), addressing key hurdles in CAR-T development.
Strategic consolidation and market reach The deal, valued at up to $630 million including upfront and milestone payments, underscores AstraZeneca’s commitment to redefining the treatment paradigm for liver cancer—a disease with high unmet medical needs, particularly in China.
By securing 100% ownership, AstraZeneca can now align its global manufacturing and commercialization efforts without the friction of shared governance. This transaction fits into AstraZeneca’s broader aggressive expansion into cell and gene therapies, following its recent multi-billion dollar acquisitions of firms like Gracell, EsoBiotec, and Neogene Therapeutics.
Source: https://pharmaphorum.com/news/astrazeneca-pays-630m-get-full-control-abelzeta-car-t