AstraZeneca's MedImmune To Acquire the Biopharmaceutical Company Amplimmune

MedImmune, the global biologics R&D arm of AstraZeneca, has agreed to acquire the biopharmaceutical company Amplimmune, which specializes cancer immunology, for approximately $500 million, which includes an initial consideration of $225 million and deferred consideration of $275 million based on reaching predetermined development milestones. The deal, which is subject to customary regulatory closings, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013.

The acquisition will strengthen MedImmune’s oncology pipeline by obtaining multiple early-stage assets for its immune-mediated cancer therapy (IMT-C) portfolio, including AMP-514, an ant-programmed cell death 1 monoclonal antibody (mAb). AMP-514 is in late-stage preclinical development, and Amplimmune expects to file an investigational new drug filing before the end of 2013. Other Amplimmune assets include multiple preclinical molecules targeting the B7 pathways. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Gaithersburg, Marlyand, Amplimmune is focused on developing costimulatory/co-inhibitory molecules that rebalance the immune system and are intended for treating cancer, autoimmune disease, infectious disease, and transplantation. Amplimmune has three biologic product candidates: AMP-224 is in Phase Ib trials in cancer; AMP-110 for autoimmune diseases in partnership with Daiichi Sankyo; and AMP-514 for cancer.

The acquisition builds on MedImmune's oncology R&D activities. MedImmune’s oncology research is focused on IMT-C, a therapeutic approach that may lead to durable and prolonged response rates across a range of cancer types. IMT-Cs are being designed for the immune system to counteract the tactics employed by cancer cells to avoid detection and attack the body. MedImmune's clinical-stage program include tremelimumab, an anti-OX40 mAb, and MEDI-4736, an anti-PD-L1 mAb. The acquisition of the Amplimmune technology and pipeline strengthens AstraZeneca's and MedImmune portfolio to enable the use of data-driven combinations of IMT-C molecules as well as combinations with highly targeted small molecules.