NEW YORK, July 22, 2026
Royalty Pharma plc has announced the acquisition of a portion of Neurimmune’s royalty interest in AstraZeneca’s investigational therapy cliramitug for up to $425 million, reinforcing its investment strategy in promising late-stage biopharmaceutical assets. The transaction includes an upfront payment of $125 million, with additional milestone-based payments tied to future clinical and regulatory achievements. Cliramitug is currently being evaluated in the Phase III DepleTTR-CM clinical trial as a first-in-class TTR-fibril-depleting antibody designed to remove existing amyloid deposits in patients with transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), a progressive and life-threatening disease. The acquisition reflects growing industry confidence in innovative therapies targeting unmet needs in cardiovascular disease and strengthens Royalty Pharma’s expanding portfolio of development-stage assets.
Strategic Investment Expands Royalty Pharma’s Development Portfolio
The agreement provides Royalty Pharma with a 3% to 4% royalty on worldwide net sales of cliramitug in exchange for total consideration of up to $425 million. Beyond the $125 million upfront payment, Royalty Pharma has committed another $125 million in the first quarter of 2027, while the remaining $175 million will be paid upon achieving specified clinical and regulatory milestones. Company executives described the investment as a strategic addition to Royalty Pharma’s growing pipeline of innovative therapies with strong commercial potential. The company believes cliramitug represents a differentiated scientific approach capable of addressing one of the most significant unmet medical needs in ATTR-CM, further strengthening its long-term royalty portfolio while supporting continued innovation in cardiovascular medicine. For Neurimmune, the transaction provides additional capital to advance its internal research and development programs while allowing the company to retain the majority of its royalty and milestone interests in cliramitug.
Cliramitug Targets a Major Unmet Need in ATTR-CM
Cliramitug is being developed by AstraZeneca as a first-in-class antibody designed to actively remove transthyretin (TTR) amyloid fibrils that accumulate within the heart tissue of patients suffering from ATTR-CM. Unlike currently approved therapies that primarily slow disease progression by preventing additional amyloid formation, cliramitug is designed to eliminate existing amyloid deposits, potentially altering the underlying disease process. The investigational therapy is currently being evaluated in the Phase III DepleTTR-CM trial, with clinical results expected in 2028. ATTR-CM has become an increasingly important therapeutic area due to improved diagnosis rates and growing awareness among healthcare providers. The global market for ATTR-CM therapies expanded by more than 40% during 2025, surpassing $7 billion in annual sales, while AstraZeneca has projected peak annual sales of between $3 billion and $5 billion for cliramitug if successfully approved. These projections underscore the significant commercial opportunity surrounding therapies capable of transforming outcomes for patients with this serious cardiovascular condition.
Advertisement
Royalty Financing Continues to Fuel Biopharmaceutical Innovation
The latest transaction highlights the increasingly important role of royalty financing in supporting the development and commercialization of innovative medicines. Royalty Pharma, widely recognized as the world’s largest purchaser of biopharmaceutical royalties, collaborates with biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, academic institutions, and research organizations to provide capital that accelerates therapeutic innovation while generating long-term royalty income. Its portfolio currently includes royalty interests in more than 35 commercial medicines and 20 development-stage candidates, spanning oncology, rare diseases, neuroscience, immunology, and cardiovascular medicine. By investing in promising late-stage assets such as cliramitug, Royalty Pharma continues to strengthen its leadership in life sciences financing while enabling developers like Neurimmune to advance future scientific discoveries. The agreement also reflects continued investor confidence in ATTR-CM therapies, an area expected to experience sustained growth as precision diagnostics and novel treatment approaches continue to reshape cardiovascular care.
Source: Royalty Pharma, AstraZeneca press release
