Consolidation of development and commercialization rights On January 19, 2026, AstraZeneca entered into an agreement to acquire AbelZeta’s remaining 50% stake in the China development and commercialization rights for C-CAR031. As AstraZeneca already held the rights to this therapy outside of China, this acquisition grants the company full global control over the program’s development, manufacturing, and commercialization, streamlining its international oncology strategy.
Financial terms and medical potential Under the agreement, AbelZeta is entitled to receive up to $630 million from AstraZeneca, consisting of upfront payments and milestone-based fees related to development, regulatory, and sales achievements in China. Furthermore, AbelZeta remains eligible for additional milestone payments and royalties stemming from AstraZeneca’s clinical activities in the rest of the world.
Breakthrough of C-CAR031 therapy C-CAR031 is an autologous CAR-T cell therapy targeting Glypican 3 (GPC3), engineered using AstraZeneca’s proprietary “armoring” platform. This technology is designed to help T cells withstand the immunosuppressive microenvironment often found in solid tumors.
-
Therapeutic target: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other solid tumors.
-
Clinical context: Liver cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with HCC accounting for approximately 75% of primary liver cancers. In China, the incidence is steadily rising, with an estimated 344,500 cases in 2024.
-
Clinical efficacy: Early human studies have demonstrated an objective response rate of 56.5% across all dose levels, increasing to 75% for patients receiving the highest dose.
Source: https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/astrazeneca-acquire-abelzetas-cart-therapy/?cf-view