<p>AstraZeneca will take full control of Caelum Biosciences in a deal worth up to $500 million, the drugmaker said on Wednesday, sharpening its focus on rare-disease drugs following its purchase of Alexion Pharmaceuticals.</p>.<p>The deal gives AstraZeneca access to another potentially lucrative rare disease drug that is undergoing late-stage trials and has a "fast track" status for regulatory review in the United States.</p>.<p>New Jersey-based Caelum will become part of AstraZeneca's Alexion division, the rare diseases specialist it bought for $39 billion earlier this year.</p>.<p>Alexion will pay $150 million to buy the remaining stake it does not already own in Caelum and make future payments of up to $350 million, depending on milestones achieved. Alexion took a minority stake in Caelum in 2019.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/small-study-shows-antibody-growth-from-astrazeneca-sputnik-light-covid-19-vaccine-mix-1034719.html" target="_blank">Small study shows antibody growth from AstraZeneca, Sputnik Light Covid-19 vaccine mix</a></strong></p>.<p>Caelum's drug candidate aims to treat AL amyloidosis, a rare, life-threatening disease that damages the heart and kidneys and affects an estimated 20,000 people across six Western countries.</p>.<p>The disease causes abnormal proteins called amyloids to build up in human organs and disrupt their normal function. Caelum's drug is a type of monoclonal antibody that binds to amyloid deposits to reduce or remove them and improve organ function.</p>.<p>"With a median survival time of less than 18 months following diagnosis, there is an urgent need for new treatments for this devastating disease," Alexion CEO Marc Dunoyer said in a statement.</p>.<p>Since buying Alexion, AstraZeneca has had mixed fortunes with rare disease drugs under development. While it reported promising results from trials of a Wilson's disease drug, it abandoned trials for an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug after it failed to show efficacy.</p>.<p>Shares in AstraZeneca were up 2.2 per cent by 1430 IST on the London Stock Exchange, in line with the broader market.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here:</strong></p>
<p>AstraZeneca will take full control of Caelum Biosciences in a deal worth up to $500 million, the drugmaker said on Wednesday, sharpening its focus on rare-disease drugs following its purchase of Alexion Pharmaceuticals.</p>.<p>The deal gives AstraZeneca access to another potentially lucrative rare disease drug that is undergoing late-stage trials and has a "fast track" status for regulatory review in the United States.</p>.<p>New Jersey-based Caelum will become part of AstraZeneca's Alexion division, the rare diseases specialist it bought for $39 billion earlier this year.</p>.<p>Alexion will pay $150 million to buy the remaining stake it does not already own in Caelum and make future payments of up to $350 million, depending on milestones achieved. Alexion took a minority stake in Caelum in 2019.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/small-study-shows-antibody-growth-from-astrazeneca-sputnik-light-covid-19-vaccine-mix-1034719.html" target="_blank">Small study shows antibody growth from AstraZeneca, Sputnik Light Covid-19 vaccine mix</a></strong></p>.<p>Caelum's drug candidate aims to treat AL amyloidosis, a rare, life-threatening disease that damages the heart and kidneys and affects an estimated 20,000 people across six Western countries.</p>.<p>The disease causes abnormal proteins called amyloids to build up in human organs and disrupt their normal function. Caelum's drug is a type of monoclonal antibody that binds to amyloid deposits to reduce or remove them and improve organ function.</p>.<p>"With a median survival time of less than 18 months following diagnosis, there is an urgent need for new treatments for this devastating disease," Alexion CEO Marc Dunoyer said in a statement.</p>.<p>Since buying Alexion, AstraZeneca has had mixed fortunes with rare disease drugs under development. While it reported promising results from trials of a Wilson's disease drug, it abandoned trials for an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug after it failed to show efficacy.</p>.<p>Shares in AstraZeneca were up 2.2 per cent by 1430 IST on the London Stock Exchange, in line with the broader market.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here:</strong></p>