AZ’s global revenue in 2022 reached $44.35 billion, including $43 billion from direct product sales. The British pharma therefore met Soriot’s sales promise—set in 2014 and later amended—when he fended off a takeover offer from Pfizer.
Soriot had some help reaching the goal. AZ’s acquisition of Alexion contributed $7.05 billion in rare disease sales last year, while COVID-19 vaccine Vaxzevria and antibody drug Evusheld reeled in $1.8 billion and $2.2 billion, respectively.
With that target in the rearview mirror, Soriot has now laid out AZ’s next phase of growth. AZ aims to launch at least 15 new drugs by 2030, Soriot told investors Thursday during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call.
One product that could soon launch is capivasertib, a potential first-in-class AKT inhibitor for breast cancer.
Meanwhile, as Evusheld has become ineffective against new coronavirus variants, its emergency use authorization has been withdrawn. In that disease area, AZ is working on AZD3152, a next-generation COVID long-acting antibody, again as a preventive measure for immunocompromised people. AZ aims to introduce the drug in the second half of 2023, Soriot said.
In addition, AZ plans to start more than 30 phase 3 trials in 2023 alone, including in 10 potential blockbuster indications, Soriot said. Most of the studies are for drugs that are already on the market.
