AstraZeneca to buy China’s Gracell Bio for up to $1.2 billion

London: AstraZeneca mentioned on Tuesday it can purchase Gracell Biotechnologies for as much as $1.2 billion because the Anglo-Swedish pharma firm furthers its cell remedy ambitions and boosts its presence in China, the world’s second-largest prescribed drugs market.

The money deal, which provides a number of experimental therapies to AstraZeneca’s portfolio, values Gracell at $2 per atypical share, or $10 per ADS of Gracell, plus a non-tradable contingent worth proper of $0.30 per atypical share, if sure regulatory milestones are met.

Shares of China-based Gracell surged 65% in premarket buying and selling in the US. AstraZeneca is among the largest drugmakers within the Asian nation, which accounted for 13% of the corporate’s whole gross sales in 2022.”The proposed acquisition of Gracell will complement AstraZeneca’s current capabilities and former investments in cell remedy, the place now we have established our presence in CAR-Tand T-cell receptor therapies in stable tumours,” AstraZeneca’sOncology R&D Vice President Susan Galbraith mentioned in an announcement.

Autologous CAR-T is a cell remedy created by reprogramming a affected person’s immune T-cells, a key a part of the physique’s immune response, to focus on disease-causing cells. Gracell’s FasTCAR platform enhances T-cell health and will doubtlessly enhance the effectiveness of therapy in sufferers. AstraZeneca may also purchase Gracell’s money, money equivalents and short-term investments of $234.1 million as of Sept. 30, 2023.