AstraZeneca Invites Partners to Co-Explore Innovative Combination Therapies and Reshape the Future of Cancer Care

Sep 29, 2024 11:08 CST Updated 11:08

AstraZeneca

Biopharmaceutical Manufacturer

Tumors are one of the diseases that pose a significant threat to human health and life, with cancer being the heaviest burden in disease treatment in China and globally. According to the latest statistics from the National Cancer Center, in 2022, China saw as many as 4.82 million new cancer cases and 2.57 million cancer-related deaths.^[1]。

Turning cancer into a manageable chronic disease has become a common goal in the pharmaceutical industry. The "Healthy China Action - Cancer Prevention and Treatment Implementation Plan" issued by the state proposes that by 2030, the cancer prevention and treatment system will be further improved, comprehensive prevention and control of risk factors, as well as cancer screening and early diagnosis and treatment capabilities, will be significantly enhanced, standardized diagnosis and treatment levels will steadily improve, upward trends in cancer incidence and mortality rates will be curbed, the overall five-year cancer survival rate will increase to 46.6%, and the disease burden on patients will be effectively controlled.^[2]Numerous pharmaceutical companies are tirelessly striving to achieve this grand goal.

Combined Therapy Expected to Enhance Patient Benefits

Facing the severe burden of diseases, the ongoing pursuit of more effective and safer treatment methods has always been a common goal in the medical community. With the continuous advancement of medical research, people's understanding of cancer has gradually deepened. It has been found that traditional single treatment methods such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, while extending patients' survival to a certain extent, have limitations that cannot be ignored. Especially for complex conditions like advanced or refractory tumors, a single drug or treatment plan often falls short of achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. The combination of different drugs or strategies has shown exciting clinical benefits in both clinical trials and real-world studies. With the emergence of innovative technologies and drugs, combination therapy is considered one of the future trends in cancer clinical treatment, holding immense potential for development.

AstraZeneca is committed to driving revolutionary changes in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Join Hands with Local Innovation to Build an Era of Cancer as a Chronic Disease

As a science-led biopharmaceutical company and an innovative leader in the global oncology field, AstraZeneca, with the vision of "Leading Change, Defeating Cancer," is committed to supporting the realization of the Healthy China 2030 cancer prevention and treatment goals, aiming to prevent cancer from remaining a leading cause of death. As of August 2024, AstraZeneca has successfully introduced 11 global oncology innovative drugs into the Chinese market, covering six major disease areas: lung cancer, breast cancer, urological tumors, gastrointestinal tumors, gynecological tumors, and hematological malignancies. Focusing on high-incidence cancers where patient needs are most urgent, AstraZeneca continuously enriches its oncology portfolio through self-developed innovations, collaborative development, joint research, business expansion partnerships, and other diverse approaches. By 2030, the company is expected to bring more than 10 groundbreaking oncology products and over 80 new indications to market.

While promoting the development and introduction of innovative drugs, AstraZeneca has also become profoundly aware of the tremendous strength of innovation in China and local scientific research. At the recently concluded 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting, AstraZeneca presented over 130 abstracts covering its 17 approved and potential new drugs, including 5 presidential symposia and 41 oral presentations. Notably, by supporting leading Chinese experts in sharing cutting-edge research, AstraZeneca has enabled Chinese scientific achievements to play a more significant role on the international academic stage. At the 2024 WCLC and ESMO conferences, AstraZeneca supported Chinese experts in publishing 20 research findings, including 2 presidential symposia and 4 oral presentations.

Improving the level of precision treatment in oncology clinics and enhancing the overall treatment landscape for cancer patients are also inseparable from the joint efforts of local innovation ecosystem partners. AstraZeneca hopes to collaborate extensively with local pharmaceutical companies and leading research institutions, actively explore innovative treatment solutions, and carry out strategic cooperation including clinical research on drug combination therapies, enabling more cancer patients in China and even globally to achieve high-quality long-term survival.

AstraZeneca provides its third-generation EGFR-TKI "Osimertinib", HER2-targeted ADC "Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (co-developed and commercialized with Daiichi Sankyo)", immune checkpoint inhibitors (including Tremelimumab and Durvalumab), and the novel BTK inhibitor "Acalabrutinib" to its partners to support clinical research on combination therapies. To date, AstraZeneca has established in-depth collaborations with seven China-based companies to jointly explore new directions in combination therapy, offering patients a wider range of treatment options. The collaborative projects include:

In the field of lung cancerSince the launch of the "Lung Cancer Targeted Combination Research Collaboration Initiative," the project has attracted active responses and applications from more than 10 Chinese pharmaceutical companies. To date, AstraZeneca has established innovative collaborations with three Chinese drug manufacturers—Shijiazhuang Pharmaceutical Group (CSPC), Genhouse Biopharma, and Chintai Pharmaceuticals—to conduct two registrational studies on combination therapies, as well as multiple exploratory studies on novel mechanism drugs in combination, benefiting more patients with lung cancer.
In the field of liver cancerAstraZeneca collaborates with Zhikang Hongyi to benefit more liver cancer patients.
In the field of biliary tract cancerAstraZeneca collaborates with Hilaitech to establish a paradigm for clinical research on drug combination with innovative oncology treatment devices, enhancing clinical benefits for patients with biliary tract cancer.
In the field of hematological oncologyAstraZeneca partners with Ascentage Pharma to explore more innovative solutions, addressing unmet clinical needs.

China's innovation is a key force driving the global transformation of cancer diagnosis and treatment. We believe that under the guidance of the "East-West integrated innovation" strategy, more and more Chinese wisdom will reach the world, connect globally, and benefit more patients. Hereby, we sincerely invite more like-minded industry partners to join us in jointly exploring clinical research and practice of combination therapy solutions, supporting the realization of the ‘Healthy China 2030’ goal, and co-creating an era of cancer as a chronic disease.

How to Apply

Application Requirements

The enterprise has innovative molecules (small molecules or large molecules), innovative targets, or innovative technologies;
The mechanism of action of the product is clear.
Clear产权/Patent.

Application Steps

Chinese pharmaceutical companies interested in collaboration submit cooperation requests, providing research plans and necessary supporting data;
After the AstraZeneca team assesses feasibility, both parties sign a cooperation agreement;
Clinical trials are conducted by Chinese pharmaceutical companies.

Contact Information

Lung Cancer:

ChinaLCPartnership@AstraZeneca.com

Breast Tumor:

ChinaBCPartnership@AstraZeneca.com

Gastrointestinal Tumors:

ChinaHBCPartnership@AstraZeneca.com

Hematological Tumors:

ChinaHEMAPartnership@astrazeneca.com

References

[1]‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ Han B, Zheng R, Zeng H, et al. Cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2022. J Natl Cancer Cent. 2024;4(1):page. DOI: 10.1016/j.jncc.2024.01.006

[2] "Healthy China Initiative—Cancer Prevention and Treatment Action Implementation Plan (2023-2030)" https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/202311/content_6915389.htm

(Note：Osimertinib has not been approved for use in combination with any drugs or for treatment regimens targeting rare EGFR mutations; Trastuzumab Deruxtecan has not been approved for use in combination with any drugs or for pan-cancer treatment regimens, and the application protocol requires joint evaluation by AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo teams; except for its combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for unresectable biliary tract cancer, Durvalumab has not been approved in China for use in combination with any drugs or as a monotherapy for hepatobiliary tumor treatment regimens; Tremelimumab has not been approved for marketing in China; Acalabrutinib has also not been approved for use in combination with any drugs or for lymphoma treatment regimens other than MCL and CLL.

Statement:This material is provided by AstraZeneca and is intended for reference by professionals in medical-related enterprises/healthcare professionals only, not for promotional purposes. The receipt of your application by AstraZeneca does not imply the establishment of a cooperative relationship between the two parties. Specific cooperation matters and the corresponding rights and obligations of each party shall be subject to the officially signed agreement; prior to the signing of such an agreement, AstraZeneca will not engage in specific cooperation with potential collaborators. AstraZeneca does not recommend the use of any unapproved medications.

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