HQ Team
July 17, 2024: British-Swedish AstraZeneca has acquired Amolyt Pharma for $1.05 billion to gain access to Lyon, France-based company’s rare disease, late-stage pipeline.
Amolyt is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for rare endocrine diseases.
AstraZeneca gets to expand its rare endocrinology portfolio with the addition of eneboparatide or AZP-3601, a Phase III investigational therapeutic peptide under Amolyt evaluation.
The AZP-3601 therapy is designed to meet key therapeutic goals for hypoparathyroidism, according to a joint statement.
Chronic kidney disease
In patients with hypoparathyroidism, a deficiency in parathyroid hormone production results in significant dysregulation of calcium and phosphate, which can lead to life-altering symptoms and complications, including chronic kidney disease.
The acquisition, through cash and debt-free basis, includes $800 million upfront plus the right for Amolyt Pharma’s shareholders to receive an additional contingent payment of $250 million payable “upon achievement of a specified regulatory milestone.”
Therapeutic goals of the end-stage trial of AZP-3601 include regulating and maintaining serum calcium levels in the normal range to manage the symptoms of hypoparathyroidism.
It also has set goals of limiting urine calcium excretion by restoring calcium reabsorption by the kidney, and potentially preventing progressive decline in kidney function and the development of chronic kidney disease.
Mostly women
Eneboparatide is also designed to have a short plasma half-life to potentially restore bone turnover to a more physiologic state and to help preserve bone integrity.
Hypoparathyroidism is a rare condition defined by a deficiency of parathyroid hormone that results in decreased calcium and elevated phosphorus levels in the blood.
About 80% of the estimated 115,000 people in the United States and 107,000 in the European Union with hypoparathyroidism are women.
Despite available treatments, patients experience persistent, life-altering symptoms and often develop complications and comorbidities that diminish quality of life and create segments of the patient population with specific clinical needs.
Earlier acquisition
Clinical manifestations of hypoparathyroidism impact many tissues and organ systems, in particular, the kidneys and bone.
In June, AstraZeneca announced the completion of the acquisition of Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, for $2.4 billion.
Fusion makes radioconjugates which replace traditional regimens like chemotherapy and radiotherapy with more targeted treatments.
