AstraZeneca Enters $6 Billion Deal With Daiichi Sankyo to Develop Cancer Drug

AstraZeneca has entered into a $6 billion agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to develop the Japanese drugmaker’s cancer treatment DS-1062.

Daiichi Sankyo is currently developing DS-1062, an antibody drug conjugate, for the treatment of multiple tumor types.  Unlike chemotherapy, antibody drug conjugates are intended to kill tumor cells while sparing healthy cells.

Under the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will receive $1 billion upfront, $1 billion for regulatory approvals and up to $4 billion in sales-related milestones.