AstraZeneca Acquires Full Global Rights to AbelZeta’s Armored CAR-T in $630M Buyout

SHANGHAI & CAMBRIDGE —January 20, 2026— AstraZeneca has solidified its control over a high-potential solid tumor asset by paying $630 million to acquire the remaining 50% China rights to C-CAR031 from AbelZeta Pharma. The deal consolidates global development, manufacturing, and commercialization under a single strategy, supporting AstraZeneca’s ambitious target to reach $80 billion in annual revenue by 2030.

The therapy, C-CAR031, targets Glypican 3 (GPC3), a surface protein overexpressed in over 70% of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) cases but virtually absent in healthy tissue. While GPC3 is a well-validated target, traditional CAR-T cells often fail in liver cancer because the tumor microenvironment (TME) releases TGFβ, a potent signal that deactivates and destroys immune cells. To bypass this “solid tumor barrier,” AstraZeneca utilized its proprietary armoring platform to engineer T-cells with a dominant-negative TGFβ receptor. This modification allows the CAR-T cells to thrive within the hostile environment by acting as a decoy that blocks immunosuppressive signaling.

Clinical results for C-CAR031 have established it as a frontrunner in the field. First-in-human data published in 2024 revealed an Objective Response Rate (ORR) of 56.5%, with efficacy jumping to 75% in patients receiving the highest dose level. Most notably, tumors shrank in more than 90% of patients, a significant breakthrough for an autologous therapy in the solid tumor space. This performance stands in contrast to previous GPC3-targeted attempts, suggesting that the “armoring” element is the critical differentiator for therapeutic durability.

This acquisition is the second major China-focused deal for AstraZeneca in as many months, following a $2 billion pan-KRAS partnership with Jacobio Pharma. By bringing C-CAR031 entirely in-house, AstraZeneca streamlines its cell therapy offensive, which also includes AZD0120 for multiple myeloma and the late-stage bispecific T-cell engager surovatamig. The company is now positioned to lead the market in “off-the-shelf” and armored autologous solutions for both hematologic and solid malignancies.