AstraZeneca BD head says more out-licensing divestment expected in 2016

AstraZeneca PLC's head of strategic partnering and business development, Shaun Grady, tells Pharma Intelligence Senior Editor Sten Stovall that Britain's second-biggest drug maker remains committed to developing medicines across small molecules, biologics, vaccines, protein engineering and devices and that's what its future targeted business development strategy will pursue. AstraZeneca has recently been selling mature products to buyers in efforts to focus on its central activities while also unlocking value from medicines in its portfolio, a recent example being the sale in March of rights to opioid-induced constipation drug Moventig (naloxegol) in the EU, as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein to Kyowa Hakko Kirin subsidiary ProStrakan Group. Grady makes clear in this interview that "where there are assets that we feel are more valuable in the hands of others then we will look to partner those. And some of our mature brands that we basically don't have the time to focus on more fully would be more valuable—and get better access to patients—in the hands of others. I wouldn't necessarily put vaccines in that area," he adds.