AstraZeneca is setting its sights on the biotechnology industry. The pharmaceutical giant is set to acquire biotechnology company EsoBiotec for up to $1 billion, it said on Monday, seeking to accelerate the development of its cell therapy capabilities, particularly for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
AstraZeneca is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, UK, focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines. It specializes in areas like oncology, cardiovascular, renal, and respiratory diseases. Known for its innovative research, AstraZeneca played a significant role in developing one of the COVID-19 vaccines.
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The company operates in over 100 countries, collaborating with various healthcare partners to improve patient outcomes. AstraZeneca’s commitment to science and sustainability drives its approach to addressing critical health challenges and advancing medical treatments worldwide. It has a strong portfolio of both patented and generic drugs.
The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, which will include AstraZeneca will buying all outstanding equity in EsoBiotec on a cash and debt-free basis, including an initial payment of $425 million on closing of the deal, and up to $575 million in contingent considerations, based on development and regulatory milestones.
“We are excited about the acquisition of EsoBiotec and the opportunity to rapidly advance their promising in vivo platform. We believe it has the potential to transform cell therapy and will enable us to scale these innovative treatments so that many more patients around the world can access them. EsoBiotec will accelerate and expand the impact of our recent investments and marks a major step forward in realising our ambition to harness the full potential of cell therapy,” said Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology Haematology R&D, AstraZeneca in a media release.
AstraZeneca is increasingly involved in cell and gene therapies, particularly within oncology. While not a primary focus, the company is exploring cell-based approaches like CAR-T therapies, which use modified T-cells to target cancer. While AstraZeneca’s cell therapy efforts are growing, they are more prominent in areas like oncology and immunology, with ongoing research into innovative solutions for challenging diseases.
What is cell therapy?
Cell therapy is a medical treatment that uses living cells to treat diseases. These cells can be sourced from the patient (autologous) or a donor (allogeneic). The two main types of cell therapy are stem cell therapy, which uses stem cells to regenerate or repair damaged tissues and organs, and immune cell therapy, such as CAR-T therapy, which modifies a patient’s immune cells to target and destroy diseases like cancer. Cell therapy holds great potential for treating a variety of conditions, including cancers, autoimmune diseases, and degenerative disorders, by promoting healing and enhancing the body’s natural defenses.
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Belgium-based EsoBiotec is a leader in vivo cell therapy company with the mission to make these innovative treatments more accessible, effective and affordable. By engineering immune cells directly within the patient’s body, EsoBiotec is eliminating the barriers of traditional cell therapies and unlocking new possibilities for oncology and immune-mediated diseases.
“We look forward to working with AstraZeneca, a global leader in drug development, to advance our shared goal of bringing transformative cost-effective cell therapies to more patients globally. By combining our expertise and resources, we can accelerate the development of our in vivo platform which has a novel delivery technology we believe will have broad therapeutic applicability,” said Jean-Pierre Latere, CEO of EsoBiotec.