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 May 2025
Commission
File Number: 001-11960
AstraZeneca PLC
1
Francis Crick Avenue
Cambridge
Biomedical Campus
Cambridge
CB2 0AA
United
Kingdom
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
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by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information
to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
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No X
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assigned to the Registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
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AstraZeneca PLC
INDEX
TO EXHIBITS
1.
Acquisition of EsoBiotec completed
20 May 2025
Acquisition of EsoBiotec completed
AstraZeneca today announced the successful completion of
the acquisition of
EsoBiotec, a biotechnology company pioneering in vivo cell
therapies that has demonstrated promising early clinical activity.
The EsoBiotec Engineered NanoBody Lentiviral (ENaBL) platform
empowers the immune system to attack cancers and could offer many
more patients access to transformative cell therapy treatments
delivered in just minutes rather than the current process which
takes weeks.
ENaBL uses highly targeted lentiviruses to deliver genetic
instructions to specific immune cells, such as T cells, which
programme them to recognise and destroy tumour cells for cancer
treatment or autoreactive cells for potential use in
immune-mediated diseases. This approach enables cell therapies to
be administered through a simple IV injection and without the need
for immune cell depletion.
As a result of this acquisition, EsoBiotec has become a wholly
owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca, with operations in
Belgium.
Financial considerations
AstraZeneca has acquired all outstanding equity
of EsoBiotec for a total consideration of up to $1bn, on
a cash and debt free basis. This includes an initial payment of
$425m, and up to $575m in contingent consideration based on
development and regulatory milestones.
The transaction does not impact AstraZeneca's financial guidance
for 2025.
Notes
AstraZeneca
in cell
therapy
AstraZeneca's ambition is to realise the full potential of cell
therapies. It is focused on empowering the immune system to attack
cancers, reset the underlying drivers of immune-mediated diseases,
and provide transformative solutions with curative potential for
people living with rare diseases. To achieve this, the Company is
building world-class cell therapy capabilities and advancing a
broad pipeline of cell therapies, enabled by technologies including
chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR T), T-cell receptor
therapies (TCR T) and CAR T regulatory (CAR Tregs)
cells.
AstraZeneca
in oncology
AstraZeneca is leading a revolution in oncology with the ambition
to provide cures for cancer in every form, following the science to
understand cancer and all its complexities to discover, develop and
deliver life-changing medicines to patients.
The Company's focus is on some of the most challenging cancers. It
is through persistent innovation that AstraZeneca has built one of
the most diverse portfolios and pipelines in the industry, with the
potential to catalyse changes in the practice of medicine and
transform the patient experience.
AstraZeneca has the vision to redefine cancer care and, one day,
eliminate cancer as a cause of death.
AstraZeneca in Respiratory
& Immunology
Respiratory & Immunology, part of AstraZeneca
BioPharmaceuticals is a key disease area and growth driver to the
Company.
AstraZeneca is an established leader in respiratory care with a
50-year heritage and a growing portfolio of medicines in
immune-mediated diseases. The Company is committed to addressing
the vast unmet needs of these chronic, often debilitating, diseases
with a pipeline and portfolio of inhaled medicines, biologics and
new modalities aimed at previously unreachable biologic targets.
Our ambition is to deliver life-changing medicines that help
eliminate COPD as a leading cause of death, eliminate asthma
attacks and achieve clinical remission and eventually cure in
immune-mediated diseases.
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.
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.
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AstraZeneca
PLC
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Date:
20 May 2025
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By: /s/
Adrian Kemp
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Name:
Adrian Kemp
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Title:
Company Secretary
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