Cambridge, UK and Tokyo, Japan – AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo today announced a significant expansion of their oncology collaboration, with AstraZeneca agreeing to pay up to $6 billion in upfront and milestone payments to develop and commercialize three additional antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting solid tumors.
— Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca
Key Terms of the Agreement
Under the terms of the expanded agreement, AstraZeneca will make an upfront payment of $2 billion to Daiichi Sankyo, with additional payments of up to $4 billion contingent upon the achievement of regulatory and commercial milestones. The companies will share development costs and profits equally on a global basis.
| Asset | Target | Indications | Development Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| DS-7300 | B7-H3 | SCLC, Solid Tumors | Phase 2 |
| DS-6000 | CDH6 | Ovarian, Renal Cancer | Phase 1 |
| DS-3939 | TA-MUC1 | Multiple Epithelial Tumors | Preclinical |
Building on Enhertu Success
The expanded collaboration builds on the tremendous success of Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), which has become a cornerstone of HER2-targeted therapy. In 2024, Enhertu generated global sales of $4.4 billion, with continued label expansions across breast, gastric, and lung cancers.
The drug's ability to deliver potent cytotoxic payloads directly to cancer cells while minimizing systemic toxicity has established a new paradigm in oncology treatment. This success has validated the ADC platform and created significant interest in next-generation candidates.
— Sunao Manabe, CEO of Daiichi Sankyo
Strategic Rationale
For AstraZeneca, the deal reinforces its position as a leader in oncology, complementing its existing portfolio of checkpoint inhibitors (Imfinzi), targeted therapies (Tagrisso, Lynparza), and cell therapies. The company's oncology business generated $18.7 billion in revenue in 2024, representing 45% of total company sales.
The agreement also provides Daiichi Sankyo with significant resources to advance its pipeline while benefiting from AstraZeneca's global commercial infrastructure and regulatory expertise.
What are Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs)?
ADCs are a class of targeted cancer therapies that combine monoclonal antibodies with potent cytotoxic drugs. The antibody targets specific proteins on cancer cells, delivering the toxic payload directly to tumors while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
Expected Timeline
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q2 2025.
About the Companies
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, BioPharmaceuticals, and Rare Disease. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical therapies to improve standards of care and address diversified, unmet medical needs of people globally by leveraging our world-class science and technology.
| Company | Contact | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca | Sarah Thompson | VP, Media Relations | media@astrazeneca.com |
| AstraZeneca | James Mitchell | VP, Investor Relations | investors@astrazeneca.com |
| Daiichi Sankyo | Kenji Yamamoto | Corporate Communications | press@daiichisankyo.com |