Astrazeneca image

AstraZeneca signs respiratory deal

pharmafile | January 29, 2013 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing |  AstraZeneca, COPD, orexo, respiratory 

AstraZeneca has signed a research deal with Swedish pharma company Orexo centred around the development of respiratory disease treatments.

For an undisclosed sum, Orexo is giving AstraZeneca rights to conduct further pre-clinical research and evaluation of compounds in Orexo’s OX-CLI programme.

It is aimed at finding a novel treatment for various conditions, and AstraZeneca has an option to acquire the compounds “subject to a full asset transfer agreement being executed by the parties”.

If it comes off, Orexo would receive development milestone payments and royalties on future sales.

Advertisement

“Our OX-CLI program is a promising R&D project, which has potential to improve the treatment of respiratory diseases for millions of patients,” said chief executive Anders Lundström.

AstraZeneca’s Symbicort is already one of the biggest-selling drugs in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) market.

The new deal is the latest in a line of partnerships for Orexo, which has R&D or marketing and sales agreements with companies including Boehringer Ingelheim and Novartis.

Orexo’s Abstral, which provides rapid onset of relief of breakthrough pain in cancer, was launched by ProStrakan Group in Europe in 2008 and in US in 2011.

Adam Hill

Related Content

How will biomarker-led diagnostics reshape respiratory medicine?

By Dr Louise Ryan Murphy, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is typically diagnosed and assessed …

Five Facts about COPD

1 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of progressive lung conditions, principally emphysema and …

AstraZeneca’s Trixeo approved in EU for asthma

AstraZeneca’s Trixeo Aerosphere (budesonide/glycopyrronium/formoterol fumarate dihydrate) has been approved in the European Union as a …

The Gateway to Local Adoption Series

Latest content




Five Facts about COPD

October 11, 2026