AstraZeneca and Heptares Therapeutics enter licensing agreement

AstraZeneca and Heptares Therapeutics entered into a licensing agreement under which AstraZeneca will acquire exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize the adenosine A2A receptor antagonist HTL-1071, a small molecule immuno-oncology candidate.

AstraZeneca will focus on exploring HTL-1071 and any additional compounds across a range of cancers, including in combination with its existing portfolio of immunotherapies.

The companies will also collaborate to discover further A2A receptor-blocking compounds for development in cancer immunotherapy.

Heptares will receive an upfront payment of $10 million and is eligible to receive additional milestone payments based on agreed pre-clinical and clinical events. Subject to successful completion of development and commercialization milestones, Heptares is also eligible to receive more than $500 million as well as royalty payments.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Table of Contents

Bhattacharya fields NCAB’s questions about funding, political involvement in grant review, DEI, animal testing

On Sept. 4, Jay Bhattacharya did something NIH directors rarely do: he appeared before the National Cancer Advisory Board, speaking directly with the NCI advisory board about hot-button policy changes taking place under his leadership at NIH.

September 05, 2025

Vol.51 No.32

By Jacquelyn Cobb

Capitol Hill

House committee’s FY26 spending bill increases NCI funding by $48M, NIH by $99M
House joins Senate in rejecting Trump’s proposed 40% NIH cuts

The House is on track to join the Senate in rejecting the Trump administration’s budget proposal that would cut NIH by $18 billion.

September 05, 2025

Vol.51 No.32

By Jacquelyn Cobb and Paul Goldberg

NCI Director's Report

Lowy: Forward-funding policy forced NCI to drastically reduce RPG awards funded for FY25, 10% of NCI staff has been lost

At the Sept. 4 meeting of the National Cancer Advisory Board, NCI Principal Deputy Director Douglas R. Lowy provided an overview of how NCI is weathering the maelstrom of executive orders, policy changes, and funding uncertainties that has come down on federal agencies and research institutes since Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.

With CDC in free fall, RFK Jr. faces bipartisan rebuke at Senate hearing
Kennedy calls CDC “the most corrupt agency at HHS and maybe the government.”

A Senate hearing that the administration hoped would be a routine check-in on the president’s 2026 MAHA-driven healthcare agenda erupted into a political firestorm as senators jumped at their first opportunity to confront HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the chaos engulfing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

September 05, 2025

Vol.51 No.32

By Claire Marie Porter

Guest Editorial

Curing cancer or curbing immigration: A question of national morality and priority

In December 1971, President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act and declared a “War on Cancer.” In the past 54 years, the U.S. has invested $180 billion nominally, or approximately $322 billion when adjusted for inflation, in cancer research. This investment has paid dividends with more than 100 anticancer drugs brought to market in half a century—virtually all traceable to National Cancer Institute funding.

September 05, 2025

Vol.51 No.32

By Paul W. Thurman

City of Hope deploys HopeLLM: AI platform transforms clinical workflows and patient care

City of Hope has developed and deployed HopeLLM, a proprietary generative AI platform that addresses critical operational challenges in hospitals while advancing personalized cancer care.

September 05, 2025

Vol.51 No.32

By Vijay Trisal

AstraZeneca and Heptares Therapeutics enter licensing agreement

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Bhattacharya fields NCAB’s questions about funding, political involvement in grant review, DEI, animal testing

House committee’s FY26 spending bill increases NCI funding by $48M, NIH by $99M
House joins Senate in rejecting Trump’s proposed 40% NIH cuts

Lowy: Forward-funding policy forced NCI to drastically reduce RPG awards funded for FY25, 10% of NCI staff has been lost

With CDC in free fall, RFK Jr. faces bipartisan rebuke at Senate hearing
Kennedy calls CDC “the most corrupt agency at HHS and maybe the government.”

Curing cancer or curbing immigration: A question of national morality and priority

City of Hope deploys HopeLLM: AI platform transforms clinical workflows and patient care

Renew today!

Subscriber content

Never miss an issue!

Login

AstraZeneca and Heptares Therapeutics enter licensing agreement

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Bhattacharya fields NCAB’s questions about funding, political involvement in grant review, DEI, animal testing

House committee’s FY26 spending bill increases NCI funding by $48M, NIH by $99MHouse joins Senate in rejecting Trump’s proposed 40% NIH cuts

Lowy: Forward-funding policy forced NCI to drastically reduce RPG awards funded for FY25, 10% of NCI staff has been lost

With CDC in free fall, RFK Jr. faces bipartisan rebuke at Senate hearingKennedy calls CDC “the most corrupt agency at HHS and maybe the government.”

Curing cancer or curbing immigration: A question of national morality and priority

City of Hope deploys HopeLLM: AI platform transforms clinical workflows and patient care

Never miss an issue!

Login

House committee’s FY26 spending bill increases NCI funding by $48M, NIH by $99M
House joins Senate in rejecting Trump’s proposed 40% NIH cuts

With CDC in free fall, RFK Jr. faces bipartisan rebuke at Senate hearing
Kennedy calls CDC “the most corrupt agency at HHS and maybe the government.”