Externalization campaign

AstraZeneca plc last week completed its first venture capital-backed spin off of non-core research assets by transferring some if its gastrointestinal pipeline into the newly created Albireo AB. The move is part of the pharma's refocusing of its GI research and is in line with its strategy to seek close relationships with the venture community to add value to potentially under-financed programs within its pipeline.

At the end of 2006, AstraZeneca decided to discontinue discovery research in functional gastric disorders and inflammatory bowel diseases(see BioCentury, Feb. 5, 2007). ...