CSPC Pharmaceutical Group today entered into a strategic R&D collaboration and licensing agreement with AstraZeneca (AZ) to develop innovative long-acting peptide drugs. The partnership will leverage CSPC's proprietary sustained-release delivery technology, which enables monthly or longer dosing intervals, and its AI-driven peptide discovery platform. AZ gains exclusive global rights (excluding Greater China) to CSPC's once-monthly injectable weight management portfolio, which includes one clinic-ready program, SYH2082 (a long-acting GLP-1R/GIPR agonist), and three preclinical assets with different mechanisms of action.

Under the agreement, CSPC will receive an upfront payment of USD 1.2 billion and is eligible for up to USD 17.3 billion in potential development, regulatory and sales milestone payments. The company will also receive tiered royalties of up to double-digit percentages on the annual net sales of the licensed products. CSPC retains commercial rights for the portfolio in Greater China. The collaboration also includes work on four additional discovery projects, with CSPC responsible for the discovery and development of further innovative long-acting peptide candidates.

According to PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database, this represents the largest out-licensing deal from China by total value. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.