AstraZeneca inks deals with Takeda and WuXi AppTec

In a busy news morning for AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN), the Anglo-Swedish pharma major announced two major deals, one to expand its respiratory franchise and another to develop next-generation biologics in China. The company’s shares were up 1.1% at £44.39 in mid-morning trading.

AstraZeneca said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the core respiratory business of Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4502), Japan’s largest drugmaker. The deal will include the expansion of rights to roflumilast (marketed as Daliresp in the USA and Daxas in other countries), the only approved oral PDE4 inhibitor for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

AstraZeneca has marketed Daliresp in the USA since the acquisition of the rights from Actavis (now called Allergan) in the first quarter of 2015. Full acquisition of the global rights will support AstraZeneca’s respiratory franchise and complement the company’s portfolio of treatments for severe COPD. Recent data1 reinforce the benefit Daxas brings to patients in reducing exacerbations as an add-on to dual and free-triple inhaled combination therapies. The agreement will also provide AstraZeneca with access to other marketed respiratory medicines and early pipeline products.