Prime Highlights
- AstraZeneca will pay $200 million upfront to license global rights for the experimental COPD drug TQC3721 outside China.
- The agreement covers the drug’s development, manufacturing and commercialisation, along with selected future development programmes.
Key Facts
- COPD is a progressive lung disease that was the third-leading cause of death globally in 2023, causing 3.4 million deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
- TQC3721 showed significant improvement in lung function and symptoms over a placebo in a Phase II clinical trial conducted in China.
Background
AstraZeneca has signed a licensing agreement for the experimental chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) drug TQC3721 from a subsidiary of Sino Biopharmaceutical. Under the deal, AstraZeneca will pay $200 million upfront and receive global rights to develop and commercialise the drug outside China.
The agreement covers the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of TQC3721. It also includes rights to certain future development programmes, although the companies have not disclosed further details. Sino Biopharmaceutical said the partnership will benefit from AstraZeneca’s experience in clinical development and respiratory diseases.
TQC3721 is an experimental treatment for COPD, a progressive lung disease that blocks airflow and makes breathing difficult. COPD is reported by the World Health Organization to be the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2023, accounting for 3.4 million deaths.
The drug proved to have positive results during Phase II trials done in China. The research established that TQC3721 has better effects on improving lung function and symptoms than a placebo.
This marks the second international licensing agreement signed by the Sino Biopharmaceutical subsidiary this year. Earlier in March, it granted Sanofi rights to develop its blood cancer drug, rovadicitinib.
AstraZeneca has continued to strengthen its respiratory medicine portfolio. In April, the company announced that its experimental COPD treatment, tozorakimab, reduced moderate-to-severe disease flare-ups in a late-stage clinical trial. The company has not yet commented on the reasons for licensing TQC3721 or provided timelines for future global studies.
