The agreement will strengthen AstraZeneca's cardiovascular and metabolic disease pipeline and gives AstraZeneca access to California-based ZS Pharma's treatments for hyperkalemia, including its leading product, ZS-9. Hyperkalemia, higher than normal potassium levels in the bloodstream, is generally found in individuals with chronic kidney disease and chronic heart failure.
ZS Pharma's ZS-9, under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), utilizes ion-trap technology to preferentially trap potassium ions in an effort to decrease and maintain control of serum potassium levels.
While there are limited therapeutic options on the market to treat hyperkalemia, ZS-9 is a new option that has proven to have a rapid onset of action in clinical studies.
"We look forward to joining AstraZeneca and to working together to bring this important treatment for hyperkalaemia to the global market, helping to meet an important unmet medical need for patients,” ZS Pharma CEO Robert Alexander said.
AstraZeneca said it looks forward to having ZS Pharma become a part of its mission to deliver life-changing medicines to patients around the world.
“Hyperkalaemia can be a life-threatening condition for patients with chronic kidney disease and chronic heart failure; however, the risk is underappreciated and prevalence is increasing," AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said. "This acquisition complements our strategic focus on cardiovascular and metabolic disease by adding a potential best-in-class treatment to our portfolio of innovative medicines."
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