AstraZeneca buys remaining rights to AbelZeta armored CAR-T therapy

AstraZeneca has agreed to acquire AbelZeta Pharma’s 50% share of the China development and commercialization rights to C-CAR031, an autologous Glypican 3 (GPC3)-targeting CAR-T therapy, giving AstraZeneca the sole right to develop, manufacture and commercialize the therapy globally.

Per the deal, AbelZeta will receive up to $630 million from AstraZeneca including an upfront payment and milestone payments for the GPC3 program in China.

Through a prior agreement with AbelZeta, AstraZeneca already owned the development, manufacturing and commercialization rights to C-CAR031 in rest of world, outside of China. AbelZeta is also eligible to receive additional milestone payments and royalties for rest of world development.

C-CAR031 is designed using AstraZeneca’s dominant negative transforming growth factor-beta receptor II armoring platform. The phase 1 asset is currently being investigated for the treatment of the most common form of primary liver cancer in adults, known as HCC, and other solid tumors.