AstraZeneca to Acquire EsoBiotec in $1 Billion Deal to Expand Cancer Treatments
AstraZeneca has announced plans to acquire Belgian biotech company EsoBiotec for up to $1 billion as part of its push into advanced cell therapies for cancer. The deal includes an initial payment of $425 million, with up to $575 million in additional payments tied to development and regulatory milestones.
EsoBiotec's Engineered NanoBody Lentiviral (ENaBL) platform allows immune cells to be genetically modified inside the body within minutes, which is a significant improvement over current cell therapy processes, which take weeks. AstraZeneca’s executive vice president of oncology R&D, Susan Galbraith, said the deal “has the potential to transform cell therapy and will enable us to scale these innovative treatments so that many more patients around the world can access them.”
The acquisition, which follows AstraZeneca’s $1.2 billion purchase of Gracell Biotechnologies in late 2023, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approval. AstraZeneca confirmed the transaction will not impact its financial guidance for the year.
