AstraZeneca and Takeda lead

AstraZeneca is to receive up to $400 million from Takeda Pharmaceutical after agreeing a deal to co-develop an early-stage medicine for Parkinson’s disease.

The drug, MEDI1341, is an antibody treatment and is due to enter phase I clinical trials later this year.

Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of AstraZeneca, said: “By combining our scientific expertise and sharing the risks and cost of development, we hope to accelerate the advancement of MEDI1341 as a promising new approach to support the treatment of people with Parkinson’s disease around the world.”

The two companies will share future development and commercialisation costs for MEDI1341 equally, in addition to future revenues.