AstraZeneca and CSPC return for another kidney drug discovery pact worth up to $1.7B

AstraZeneca expanded its China collaboration with CSPC Pharmaceutical through a kidney-focused drug discovery pact. AstraZeneca will pay CSPC $30 million upfront to jointly discover and develop two kidney disease candidates. The agreement comes less than six months after AstraZeneca completed another major biobucks-style collaboration with CSPC, underscoring AstraZeneca’s intent to deepen its interface with the Chinese partner for multiple asset programs.