AstraZeneca struck a multi-partnership with China’s CSPC to bolster its weight‑management portfolio, committing $1.2 billion upfront and deal terms that could reach roughly $18.5 billion. The agreement gives AstraZeneca rights outside Greater China to several long‑acting, once‑monthly GLP‑1/GIP candidate assets (including clinical‑ready SYH2082) and access to CSPC’s peptide platforms. Documents and filings reported by BioCentury and company statements say CSPC will retain regional rights in China while AstraZeneca takes on later‑stage development and global commercialization. The deal layers a big inorganic push onto AstraZeneca’s $15 billion China investment plan and adds manufacturing and regulatory obligations across multiple jurisdictions. For drug developers, the pact signals continued industry prioritization of obesity as a strategic, high‑value franchise and emphasizes long‑acting injectable modalities and peptide platform deals as the preferred route to scale global portfolios.