FORM 6-K
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
Report
of Foreign Issuer
Pursuant
to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the
month of January 2026
Commission
File Number: 001-11960
AstraZeneca PLC
1
Francis Crick Avenue
Cambridge
Biomedical Campus
Cambridge
CB2 0AA
United
Kingdom
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AstraZeneca PLC
INDEX
TO EXHIBITS
1.
AstraZeneca agrees obesity and T2D deal with CSPC
30 January
2026
AstraZeneca enhances its weight management portfolio through
collaboration agreement with CSPC Pharmaceuticals
Agreement includes eight programmes, including a clinical-ready
asset, plus access to advanced AI-driven
peptide drug discovery platform and innovative monthly dosing
technology
AstraZeneca
strengthens its weight management portfolio through a new strategic
collaboration agreement with CSPC Pharmaceuticals to advance the
development of multiple next-generation therapies for obesity and
type 2 diabetes across eight programmes. Under this agreement, the
companies will initially progress four programmes, which utilise
CSPC's advanced AI-driven peptide drug discovery platform and their
proprietary LiquidGel once-monthly dosing platform technology.
AstraZeneca
will receive exclusive global rights outside of China to CSPC's
once-monthly injectable weight management portfolio, comprising one
clinical-ready asset, SYH2082, a long-acting GLP1R/GIPR agonist
progressing into Phase I and three preclinical programmes with
differing mechanisms designed to provide extended therapeutic
benefits for people living with obesity and weight-related
conditions.
Sharon Barr, Executive Vice President and Head of
BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, said: "This strategic
collaboration advances our weight management portfolio by
delivering novel assets which complement our existing programmes.
It will provide access to CSPC's proprietary AI-enabled peptide
capabilities and platform technology, which have the potential to
transform the treatment of obesity, helping to address adherence
and convenience as key barriers to long-term therapeutic
success. This is an important step in creating a portfolio of
simple, scalable and sustainable options that can help people with
obesity, and weight-related complications live better, healthier
lives."
Dongchen Cai, Chairman of the Board, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd,
said "We are very excited to further expand and strengthen our
strategic partnership with AstraZeneca into the area of weight
management. Obesity and related comorbidities represent a
significant health challenge but also an opportunity. We hope
this win-win collaboration will deliver the next generation of
treatments that build upon the emerging science, using our
technology platforms and AstraZeneca's complementary capabilities
and reach, to realise global health benefits for people in need of
improved weight management."
AstraZeneca has optionality to pursue future metabolic programmes
leveraging CSPC's proprietary LiquidGel once-monthly dosing
platform technology and holds rights to deploy this across internal
development programmes, broadening the potential applications of
their sustained-release formulation. This could help improve
treatment adherence and support strong patient preference for
once-monthly regimens.
This collaboration complements AstraZeneca's existing weight
management portfolio which includes a growing pipeline of next
generation treatments to address the complexities of obesity, and
weight-related complications, pursuing multiple modalities and
pathways in order to tailor treatment based on individual needs.
This includes elecoglipron (formerly AZD5004), a small molecule
oral GLP1RA; AZD6234 a weekly injectable selective amylin receptor
agonist (SARA); and AZD9550 a weekly injectable dual GLP-1/glucagon
receptor agonist, as well as a number of preclinical
assets.
Financial Considerations
For access to eight programmes, as well as the
advanced AI molecular design capabilities and their proprietary
LiquidGel once-monthly dosing platform
technology, CSPC will receive an upfront
payment of $1.2 billion from AstraZeneca. CSPC is also eligible to
receive development and regulatory milestones of up
to $3.5 billion across all
programmes. CSPC will also be eligible for further
commercialisation and sales milestones plus tiered royalties.
The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026,
subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory
clearances.
Under the agreement, CSPC will progress ongoing development of the
four programmes through Phase I completion, alongside the four new
programmes. Following successful completion of Phase I,
AstraZeneca will be responsible for further development and
commercialisation in all territories outside of China. CSPC retains
all rights for China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, and following
successful approval, AstraZeneca has the right to opt-in to
co-commercialise these products. This agreement builds on existing
strategic collaborations between AstraZeneca and CSPC.
Notes
About obesity and weight-related complications
Nearly three billion people worldwide are estimated to be living
with obesity or overweight,1 and
with rates rapidly rising, effective, accessible management options
are urgently needed to address individual patient goals and the
soaring impact on healthcare systems and chronic disease. Obesity
is recognised as a chronic, relapsing, multifactorial disease and
contributes to over 200 complications, with cardiometabolic
diseases as one of the most common
comorbidities.2,3 Approximately
60% of people diagnosed with obesity or overweight (BMI > 27
kg/m2)
have at least one comorbidity.4
AstraZeneca
in CVRM
Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), part of
BioPharmaceuticals, forms one of AstraZeneca's main disease areas
and is a key growth driver for the Company. By following the
science to understand more clearly the underlying links between the
heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas, AstraZeneca is investing in a
portfolio of medicines for organ protection by slowing or stopping
disease progression, and ultimately paving the way towards
regenerative therapies. The Company's ambition is to improve and
save the lives of millions of people, by better understanding the
interconnections between CVRM diseases and targeting the mechanisms
that drive them, so we can detect, diagnose and treat people
earlier and more effectively.
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led
biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery,
development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in
Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including
Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory &
Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca's innovative
medicines are sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions
of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and
follow the Company on Social Media @AstraZeneca.
Contacts
For details on how to contact the Investor Relations Team, please
click here.
For Media contacts, click here.
References
1. World Obesity Federation.
Prevalence of obesity [Internet]. London: World Obesity Federation;
2024. Available from: https://www.worldobesity.org/about/about-obesity/prevalence-of-obesity [Last
accessed: January 2026]
2. World Health
Organization. Obesity and overweight [Internet]. Geneva: World
Health Organization; 2025. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight [Last
accessed: January 2026]
3. Ali MM, et al. Cardiometabolic comorbidities and complications
of obesity and chronic kidney disease
(CKD). J Clin Trans
Endocrinol.
2024;36:100341.
4.
AstraZeneca. Data on file. 2024. REF-242321.
Matthew Bowden
Company Secretary
AstraZeneca PLC
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date: 30 January 2026
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By: /s/
Matthew Bowden
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Name:
Matthew Bowden
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Title:
Company Secretary
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