AstraZeneca said Thursday it would buy 55% of privately held biotech firm Acerta Pharma for $4 billion to bolster the UK pharmaceutical giant’s blood cancer treatment portfolio.
The latest deal caps an intense period of deal making for the UK drug maker as it races to refill its drug portfolio.

AstraZeneca unveils strategic transaction with Acerta Pharma
The latest deal envisages AstraZeneca paying an upfront payment of $2.5 billion for the stake and then a further unconditional $1.5 billion upon receipt of the first U.S. regulatory approval for Acerta’s blood cancer drug, acalabrutinib, or the end...

