PERTH, Australia – Astrazeneca plc is leasing 175 Sozo devices from Impedimed Ltd. and plans to put them in 20 countries to run phase II trials for a combination drug that looks at fluid imbalance in the human body in patients with heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease.

In a deal that could bring the company as much as $1.04 billion, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. will collaborate with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. to co-develop and co-commercialize an investigational RNAi-based liver disease treatment. Arrowhead’s candidate, ARO-AAT, is designed to reduce mutant alpha-1 antitrypsin protein production, which causes the disease to progress. Arrowhead will receive a $300 million up-front payment on closing in addition to development, regulatory and commercial milestones that could total $740 million.

HONG KONG – Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has struck an agreement with Ascletis Pharma Inc.’s Gannex arm to develop a combination therapy comprising Ascletis’ ASC-41 and Galmed’s Aramchol (arachidyl amido cholanoic acid) for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

In a deal that could bring the company as much as $1.04 billion, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. will collaborate with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. to co-develop and co-commercialize an investigational RNAi-based liver disease treatment. Arrowhead’s candidate, ARO-AAT, is designed to reduce mutant alpha-1 antitrypsin protein production, which causes the disease to progress. Arrowhead will receive a $300 million up-front payment on closing in addition to development, regulatory and commercial milestones that could total $740 million.

LONDON – Enterprise Therapeutics Ltd. has sold its TMEM16A cystic fibrosis portfolio to Roche Holding AG for an up-front payment of £75 million (US$96.9 million), with more to come on achievement of predetermined milestones.

PERTH, Australia – Astrazeneca plc is leasing 175 Sozo devices from Impedimed Ltd. and plans to put them in 20 countries to run phase II trials for a combination drug that looks at fluid imbalance in the human body in patients with heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease.

In a valuable new deal for Cstone Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Pfizer Inc. is taking a 9.9% stake in the company and licensing exclusive rights to commercialize its lead asset, the anti-PD-L1 antibody sugemalimab, in mainland China.