AstraZeneca and Moderna Therapeutics announce immuno-oncology alliance

AstraZeneca is partnering with Moderna Therapeutics on the development of new immuno-oncology products.

The partnership will focus on the discovery, co-development and co-commercialisation of messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutic candidates for the treatment of a range of cancers, with Moderna to lead preclinical development.

It will combine the protein engineering and cancer biology expertise of AstraZeneca's biologics research and development arm MedImmune with Moderna's mRNA platform. Two specific programmes will be developed, based on promising preclinical data.

AstraZeneca will lead the clinical development, with Moderna to co-commercialise and share profits on the resulting products in the US.

Pascal Soriot, chief executive officer of AstraZeneca, said: "We're pleased to be expanding our relationship with Moderna with this new collaboration, to advance the potential of pioneering messenger RNA technology in developing game-changing new treatments for cancer patients."

This comes after the firm also recently announced a lung cancer research collaboration with Incyte.