AstraZeneca pays $630m to get full control of AbelZeta CAR-T

AstraZeneca's push into CAR-T therapies for cancer has continued with an agreement to take full control of C-CAR031, an anti-GPC3 therapy for solid tumours, from AbelZeta.

In the latest development, AZ has paid $630 million to secure rights to C-CAR031 – also known as AZD7003 – in China and its territories. The UK-headquartered pharma group already has ex-China rights to the drug under a previous partnership dating back to 2023 with AbelZeta, which used to operate as Cellular Biomedicine Group (CBMG).

To get full control of C-CAR031, AZ is buying out AbelZeta's 50% share of the China development and commercialisation rights to the cell therapy. The deal covers an upfront payment, and development, regulatory, and sales milestone payments for the therapy in China, as well as royalties.

C-CAR031 is an 'armoured' CAR-T, a form of the therapy in which the cells are modified to withstand the hostile solid tumour microenvironment, reduce tumour immunosuppression, and enhance their anti-cancer efficacy – for example, by also secreting cytokines or cytokine receptors.

In this case, the CAR-T uses a dominant negative TGF-beta receptor 2 armouring platform developed by AZ that was also deployed in its anti-GPC3 CAR-T AZD5851, which was discontinued last year, according to an ApexOnco report.

C-CAR031 drew attention with early-stage clinical data presented at the ASCO cancer congress in 2024, which revealed an objective response rate of 56.5% at across all dose levels, rising to 75% at the top dose, in patients with heavily pretreated, advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer.

No dose-limiting toxicity or neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) was observed, and cytokine release syndrome (CRS), a well-recognised issue with CAR-Ts, tended to be mild, with only 4% reaching grade 3 (severe but not life-threatening).

At the time, AbelZeta CEO Tony Liu said the data provided "compelling proof-of-concept to potentially redefine therapeutic paradigms in HCC and other GPC3-expressing solid tumours."

Since then, C-CAR031 has moved into a Chinese phase 1/2 trial in GPC3-positive advanced or recurrent HCC patients who have been previously exposed to at least two lines of systemic therapy. In a statement, Liu said the new deal with AZ "provides the opportunity to maximise C-CAR031's global reach."

The agreement shores up AZ's rights to the GPC3 therapy as it advances on a broad front in CAR-Ts for cancer, thanks in part to the acquisitions of China's Gracell for $1.2 billion in 2023, last year's $1 billion purchase of Belgian in vivo CAR-T specialist EsoBiotec, and the takeover of US and Netherlands-based Neogene Therapeutics for up to $320 million in 2022.