ASTRAZENECA PLC
AZN evidence brief
What we can confirm
- BioSniper Score:
- 8.1 / 10
- Market Cap:
- $248.20B
- Lead Asset:
- Acalabrutinib (Phase 4)
What it means
What to watch
Prepared research question
What matters most for AZN—catalysts, financial risk and supporting evidence?
Traceable citations · Unknowns marked
BioSniper AI · AZN
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is a global pharmaceutical company with a deep late-stage pipeline in oncology, immunology, and respiratory disease, supported by a strong cash position of $5,711.0M as of 2025-12-31 [sec].
Key risk: Pipeline execution risk
BioSniper Score
Based on 5 of 6 signals
Market Cap
$248.20B
Cash Runway
—
Lead Asset
Acalabrutinib (Phase 4)Next Catalyst
Phase1_Start · Oct 19, 2026Financial data as of Dec 31, 2025.
Tracking 28 pipeline candidates · 608 clinical trials · 14 catalysts · 25 FDA decisions for ASTRAZENECA PLC.
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is a global pharmaceutical company with a deep late-stage pipeline in oncology, immunology, and respiratory disease, supported by a strong cash position of $5,711.0M as of 2025-12-31 [sec].
- Cash & equivalents of $5,711.0M and shareholders' equity of $48,667.0M as of 2025-12-31 [sec].
- Positive Phase 3 results for TEZSPIRE in eosinophilic esophagitis and encouraging progress in DESTINY-Lung04 and SAFFRON trials in non-small cell lung cancer [news · 2026-08-28].
- FDA granted Priority Review for IMFINZI (durvalumab) in combination with enfortumab vedotin for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, supported by Phase III VOLGA trial [news · 2026-09-28].
- JP Morgan sees AstraZeneca offering the richest run of drug news in the pharmaceuticals sector over the next 18 months, key to growth beyond 2030 [news · 2026-09-16].
- Pipeline includes Phase 4 candidates such as acalabrutinib for mantle-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, with multiple competitors [pipeline].
What works
- Deep late-stage pipeline with 20+ expected readouts offers key catalysts for future growth [news · 2026-09-18].
- Strong cash position of $5,711.0M as of 2025-12-31 provides financial flexibility for R&D and operations [sec].
- Positive clinical results across oncology and immunology, including TEZSPIRE and IMFINZI, support pipeline momentum [news · 2026-08-28][news · 2026-09-28].
What to weigh
- Pipeline setbacks have weighed on stock performance, indicating execution risk [news · 2026-09-18].
- Legacy product pressure may offset growth from new oncology assets [news · 2026-09-28].
- Acalabrutinib faces a competitive landscape with 40 competitors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia [pipeline].
From the filings
Quoted directly from source documents.
Positive Phase 3 TEZSPIRE results in eosinophilic esophagitis
“Phase 3 TEZSPIRE data in eosinophilic esophagitis met key clinical goals”
News · August 28, 2026
FDA Priority Review for IMFINZI combination
“the U.S. FDA has accepted and granted Priority Review to AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN)’s supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for IMFINZI (durvalumab) in combination with enfortumab vedotin (EV)”
News · September 28, 2026
JP Morgan sees richest drug news flow over next 18 months
“offers the richest run of drug news in the pharmaceuticals sector over the next 18 months”
News · September 16, 2026
Catalyst timeline
- 2026-10-19 · Phase1_Start: An Open-Label Study to Assess the Mass Balance Recovery, Absorption, Metabolism, Excretion of [14C]AZD4954 and Absolute Bioavailability of AZD4954 in Healthy Male Participants — First-in-human mass balance study for AZD4954; will provide early pharmacokinetic data.
- 2026-10-30 · Phase1_Start: A Multicentre, Randomised, Open-label, Phase I Study to Characterise the Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Safety of Anifrolumab Administered Subcutaneously or Intravenously in Participants With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus — PK/PD study for anifrolumab in SLE; may inform future dosing and formulation strategy.
- 2030-05-28 · Patent_Expiry · BUDESONIDE; FORMOTEROL FUMARATE — Patent_Expiry: NDA216579 — Patent expiry for a key respiratory combination product; may open market to generics.
- 2030-05-28 · Patent_Expiry · ALBUTEROL SULFATE; BUDESONIDE — Patent_Expiry: NDA214070 — Patent expiry for another respiratory combination; potential revenue impact.
- 2031-03-17 · Patent_Expiry · FORMOTEROL FUMARATE; GLYCOPYRROLATE — Patent_Expiry: NDA208294 — Patent expiry for a respiratory triple combination; long-term revenue risk.
- 2032-11-19 · Patent_Expiry · SELUMETINIB SULFATE — Patent_Expiry: NDA219943 — Patent expiry for selumetinib; may affect oncology revenue.
- 2033-01-04 · Patent_Expiry · OMEGA-3-CARBOXYLIC ACIDS — Patent_Expiry: NDA205060 — Patent expiry for omega-3 product; limited revenue impact expected.
- 2033-04-16 · Patent_Expiry · CAPIVASERTIB — Patent_Expiry: NDA218197 — Patent expiry for capivasertib; potential generic competition in oncology.
Risks & what to watch (3)›
Key risks
- Pipeline execution risk — Setbacks in pipeline have weighed on stock; underperforming lung cancer study ended [news · 2026-09-18][news · 2026-08-28].
- Competitive pressure on key assets — Acalabrutinib faces 40 competitors in CLL; mantle-cell lymphoma has 9 competitors [pipeline].
- Legacy product revenue pressure — New oncology growth may be offset by pressure from legacy products [news · 2026-09-28].
What to watch
- Upcoming Phase 1 start for AZD4954 mass balance study on 2026-10-19 [catalyst].
- Upcoming Phase 1 start for anifrolumab subcutaneous/IV PK study in SLE on 2026-10-30 [catalyst].
- Patent expiries for key respiratory products (budesonide/formoterol, albuterol/budesonide) in 2030 [catalyst].
- 20+ expected late-stage readouts over next 18 months as key catalysts [news · 2026-09-18].
Sources: Catalysts · News · Pipeline · Generated October 13, 2026 · How we verify sources →
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Evidence & data
Score breakdownBased on 5 of 6 signals · derived from public data
Cash runway data unavailable
D/E 1.34
Lead: Approved
28 candidates
14 upcoming, next in ~5d
0 buys · 1 sell (180d)
Catalysts
Pipeline
Regulatory
Financials
Short Interest
as of May 20, 2026- % of float
- 0.1%
- Days to cover
- 0.9
- Shares short
- 1,830,898
- Daily short volume
- -
Short percent of float and days-to-cover reflect reported short positioning. Daily short volume is the exchange-reported short share of a single day's trading volume and is noisier. See the most-shorted biotech ranking →
AZN short interestGovernance
Frequently asked questions
What is the AI investment thesis for ASTRAZENECA PLC?
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is a global pharmaceutical company with a deep late-stage pipeline in oncology, immunology, and respiratory disease, supported by a strong cash position of $5,711.0M as of 2025-12-31 [sec].
What is ASTRAZENECA PLC's lead drug candidate?
ASTRAZENECA PLC's most advanced tracked candidate is Acalabrutinib (Phase 4) for Phase I: Relapsed or Refractory B-cell Malignancies; Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL); Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
What is ASTRAZENECA PLC's next catalyst?
ASTRAZENECA PLC's next tracked catalyst is a Phase1_Start event — "Phase1_Start: An Open-Label Study to Assess the Mass Balance Recovery, Absorption, Metabolism, Excretion of [14C]AZD4954 and Absolute Bioavailability of AZD4954 in Healthy Male Participants" — expected October 19, 2026.
Who is the CEO of ASTRAZENECA PLC?
Mr. Pascal Claude Roland Soriot D.V.M., M.B.A. is the chief executive officer of ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN).
Where is ASTRAZENECA PLC headquartered?
ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN) is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom.
The AI overview and BioSniper Score are neutral, data-derived signals built from public SEC filings, ClinicalTrials.gov and FDA records — not investment advice.