AstraZeneca Acquires Remaining China Rights to AbelZeta’s GPC3 Armored CAR-T Therapy

AbelZeta Pharma announced that AstraZeneca has acquired the remaining China rights for C-CAR031, a GPC3-targeted armored CAR-T therapy. This transaction makes AstraZeneca the sole global owner of development, manufacturing, and commercialization rights for the therapy, which is designed to treat Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer.

The agreement builds on AstraZeneca’s earlier acquisition of 50% China rights in 2023, now consolidating full control of the program. AbelZeta will continue to benefit financially through upfront payments and milestone-based incentives, while AstraZeneca strengthens its oncology pipeline with a promising cell therapy candidate.

Key Highlights

• Transaction value: Up to $630 million in upfront, regulatory, and sales milestone payments.
• Therapy focus: C-CAR031 targets GPC3, a protein highly expressed in HCC, aiming to improve outcomes in solid tumors.
• Strategic impact: AstraZeneca gains exclusive worldwide rights, enhancing its leadership in next-generation immunotherapies.
• Clinical progress: C-CAR031 has shown encouraging early-phase results in patients with advanced HCC.
• AbelZeta’s vision: CEO Tony Liu emphasized the partnership’s role in expanding the reach of innovative cell therapies globally.

This acquisition underscores AstraZeneca’s commitment to advancing CAR-T therapies beyond hematologic cancers and AbelZeta’s strategy of scaling innovation through strategic alliances.

Sources: Yahoo Finance, PRNewswire, AbelZeta Official Release