INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
AstraZeneca's focus is on its novel coronavirus vaccine and cancer drugs.AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it would sell rights to its one-time
blockbuster cholesterol drug, Crestor, to German pharmaceutical company Gruenenthal GmbH for an upfront payment of $320 million as the
British drugmaker focuses on its cancer treatments portfolio.Crestor, which brought in revenue of over $5 billion for AstraZeneca in 2015,
was among its best-selling medicines and used to contribute to around 20 per cent of the company's total revenue.Crestor was hit by the
arrival of cheap generic rivals in 2016 and newer medicines such as Tagrisso and Imfinzi for cancer and Fasenra for severe asthma were
promoted by AstraZeneca as medicines that would take over.AstraZeneca, which is among the front-runners in the race to develop a vaccine for
the novel coronavirus, has been trying to focus on its cancer drugs as it streamlines its business.The London-listed company has been viewed
as having a head start in the race for cancer treatments and sales of those medicines, including blockbuster lung cancer treatment Imfinzi,
have been key to its turnaround.Tuesday's deal will give Gruenenthal rights to sell Crestor and associated medicines in more than 30
countries in Europe, except the UK and Spain, AstraZeneca said.AstraZeneca will continue to manufacture and supply the drug to Grünenthal
during a transition period and will continue to sell it in other regions, including North America and China, it said.The deal is expected to
close in the first quarter of 2021, AstraZeneca said.
