AstraZeneca announced a China-focused expansion that combines an up‑front $1.2 billion deal with CSPC Pharmaceuticals for obesity and diabetes assets—including a once‑monthly GLP‑1/GIP candidate—and a broader investment plan exceeding $15 billion in R&D and manufacturing through 2030. The partnership gains AZ rights to multiple assets and long‑acting delivery technologies intended to compete in the fast‑growing weight‑management market. The moves mark a substantial multinational bet on local development and production capacity to support next‑generation metabolic medicines in China.