AstraZeneca strengthens COVID portfolio via license deal with RQ Biotechnology for monoclonal antibodies
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AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) bolstered its COVID-19 portfolio by acquiring a license to portfolio of early-stage monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting SARS-CoV-2, developed by London-based RQ Biotechnology.
Under the agreement, AstraZeneca acquired an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize mAbs against SARS-CoV-2.

RQ Bio will get up to $157M plus royalties from the Brtitsh pharma giant.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape for immune therapies, including the use of monoclonal antibodies to protect vulnerable patients who canât respond adequately to vaccination alone," said Iskra Reic, executive vice president, Vaccines & Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca.
This addition is expected to bolster AstraZeneca's relatively new reporting unit called Vaccines & Immune Therapies, which the company had carved out in its quarterly report results.
The dominant part of the segment was its COVID-19 vaccine Vaxzevria, which had brought in ~$1.15B in Q1 and COVID antibody therapy Evusheld, which generated sales of $469M.
AZN +2.09% to $65.84 premarket May 17