AstraZeneca Plc Value Stock - Dividend - Research Selection

Description of the company

History and Development of the Company

On February 16, 2017 AstraZeneca’s U.S. partner Valeant Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA had approved Siliq (brodalumab) injection for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy and have failed to respond or have lost response to other systemic therapies.

On February 17, 2017 AstraZeneca announced positive results from its Phase III OLYMPIAD trial comparing Lynparza (olaparib) tablets (300mg twice daily) to physician’s choice of a standard of care chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer harbouring germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. Patients treated with Lynparza showed a statistically-significant and clinically-meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with those who received chemotherapy (capecitabine, vinorelbine or eribulin).

On February 17, 2017, AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune, announced updated efficacy and safety data for durvalumab in patients with locally-advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.

On February 20, 2017 AstraZeneca announced that it had entered into an agreement with TerSera Therapeutics LLC (TerSera) for the commercial rights to Zoladex (goserelin acetate implant) in the U.S. and Canada. Zoladex is an injectable luteinising hormone-releasing hormone agonist, used to treat prostate cancer, breast cancer and certain benign gynaecological disorders. It was first approved in the U.S. and Canada in 1989. Under the terms of the agreement, TerSera will pay AstraZeneca $250 million upon completion. AstraZeneca will also receive sales-related income through milestones totalling up to $70 million, as well as recurring quarterly sales-based payments at mid-teen percent of Product Sales. AstraZeneca will also manufacture and supply Zoladex to TerSera, providing a further source of ongoing income from Zoladex in the U.S. and Canada.

On February 24, 2017 AstraZeneca announced that the CHMP of the EMA had issued a positive opinion recommending the approval of ZS-9 (sodium zirconium cyclosilicate) for the treatment of hyperkalaemia, a serious condition characterized by high potassium levels in the blood serum caused by cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases.

On February 28, 2017 AstraZeneca announced that the FDA had approved once-daily Qtern (10mg dapagliflozin and 5mg saxagliptin) for the treatment of Type-2 diabetes. The new medicine is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycaemic (blood sugar level) control in adults with Type-2 diabetes who have inadequate control with dapagliflozin (10mg) or who are already treated with dapagliflozin and saxagliptin.

On March 3, 2017 MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca, and Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, announced an agreement to develop and commercialize MEDI8897 jointly. MEDI8897 is a monoclonal antibody for the prevention of lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI) caused by respiratory syncytial virus, the most prevalent cause of LRTI among infants and young children. MEDI8897 is currently in a Phase IIb clinical trial in pre-term infants who are ineligible for Synagis, the current standard of care medicine, and the development plan includes a proposed Phase III trial in healthy full-term and late pre-term infants. Under the terms of the global agreement, Sanofi Pasteur will make an upfront payment of €120 million and pay up to €495 million upon achievement of certain development and sales-related milestones. The two companies will share all costs and profits equally. MedImmune and AstraZeneca will continue to lead all development activity through initial approvals, and AstraZeneca will retain MEDI8897 manufacturing activities. Sanofi-Pasteur will lead commercialization activities for MEDI8897.