Daily Management Review

AstraZeneca may pay CSPC up to $18.5 billion for diabetes and obesity drugs


02/02/2026


British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will receive the rights to experimental drugs from Chinese CSPC Pharmaceuticals for diabetes and obesity in a deal worth up to $18.5 billion.



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AstraZeneca will pay $1.2 billion immediately, up to $3.5 billion if it receives the necessary regulatory approvals (regulatory goals) and development goals, as well as additional amounts tied to commercialization and sales goals, and royalties, the British company said.

The CSPC clarified that sales payments could reach $13.8 billion, with royalties representing a double-digit percentage of annual sales of licensed drugs.

The first stage of the collaboration will focus on four drugs, one of which will soon undergo the first stage of clinical trials. AstraZeneca will receive global rights to them, with the exception of China.

The companies will work together on four more drugs on CSPC technology platforms.

AstraZeneca will also gain access to the Chinese partner's AI platform.

In 2024, AstraZeneca committed to pay CSPC up to $2.02 billion as part of an exclusive partnership to develop and commercialize a cholesterol-lowering drug, and in 2025, the partners agreed to collaborate on AI-based research.

source: reuters.com