AstraZeneca Acquires EsoBiotec; Strikes Deal with Alteogen to Develop Oncology Therapies

Image Credit: Adobe Stock Images/David

AstraZeneca has announced two separate deals that will see the company acquire EsoBiotec for up to $1 billion as well as a licensing deal with Alteogen that will expand its work in oncology and cell therapy.

EsoBiotec

AstraZeneca has agreed to acquire EsoBiotec, a biotechnology firm specializing in in vivo cell therapies. The acquisition includes EsoBiotec’s Engineered NanoBody Lentiviral platform, which enables immune cells to be genetically programmed within the patient’s body, eliminating the need for complex ex vivo processing. According to AstraZeneca, this technology has the potential to streamline manufacturing and expand patient access to transformative cell therapies.

Under the terms of the deal, AstraZeneca will acquire all outstanding shares of EsoBiotec for up to $1 billion, including an initial payment of $425 million at closing and up to $575 million contingent on development and regulatory milestones.¹

“We are excited about the acquisition of EsoBiotec and the opportunity to rapidly advance their promising in vivo platform,” said Susan Galbraith, EVP, oncology hematology R&D, AstraZeneca, in a press release. “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 realizing our ambition to harness the full potential of cell therapy.”

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of this year, after which EsoBiotec will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca in Belgium.¹

“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,” said Jean-Pierre Latere, CEO, EsoBiotec, in the press release. “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.”

Alteogen

In another deal, AstraZeneca has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Alteogen for ALT-B4, a hyaluronidase enzyme utilizing the Hybrozyme platform to develop subcutaneous (SC) formulations of multiple oncology therapies. According to AstraZeneca, this agreement will enable the company to create SC alternatives that could reduce administration times to improve convenience for patients and healthcare systems.

Under the terms of the deal, AstraZeneca will acquire the rights to develop and commercialize multiple SC formulations of oncology assets using ALT-B4.²

“We are dedicated to advancing new medicines for people with cancer, and that includes new methods of delivery that are more convenient for patients, physicians, and healthcare systems,” said Cristian Massacesi, chief medical officer, oncology chief development officer, AstraZeneca, in a press release. “We look forward to collaborating with Alteogen on several assets in our portfolio with the goal of bringing new subcutaneous options to patients that can transform the way cancer care is delivered.”

While exact financial terms were not disclosed, AstraZeneca will provide an upfront payment, with additional payments contingent upon the completion of specific developmental, regulatory, and sales-related milestones. Alteogen is also eligible to receive royalties on sales of any commercialized products developed using ALT-B4.²

“We are excited to expand our Hybrozyme Technology by collaborating with AstraZeneca in their development of novel subcutaneous cancer medicines to meet the needs of patients,” said Soon Jae Park, CEO, Alteogen, in the press release.

Neither transaction is expected to affect AstraZeneca’s 2025 financial guidance, the company stated in the release.^1,2

References

1. AstraZeneca to acquire EsoBiotec to advance cell therapy ambition. AstraZeneca. March 17, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2025/astrazeneca-to-acquire-esobiotec.html

2. AstraZeneca enters license agreement with Alteogen for subcutaneous formulations of multiple oncology assets. AstraZeneca. March 17, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2025/astrazeneca-enters-license-agreement-with-alteogen-for-subcutaneous-formulations-of-multiple-oncology-assets.html