AstraZeneca to acquire biotech company ZS Pharma

LONDON — In a move that will grow its portfolio of treatments for cardiovascular, metabolic and chronic kidney diseases, AstraZeneca announced that it would be acquiring Californian biotech company ZS Pharma to the tune of $2.7 billion.

 

Based on the company’s presentation accompanying a conference call on the acquisition, AstraZeneca’s focus to be on the treatment ZS Pharma is developing for hyperkalemia, or too much potassium, a side effect of chronic kidney disease, which affects more than 3 million patients in the U.S. The company’s most promising treatment, ZS-9, has completed Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials and is currently undergoing more trials. 

 

The acquisition is expected to close this year, the company said, and will result in ZS Pharma becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca.