|
AstraZeneca PLC could be forced to withhold new medicines from the UK and Europe unless governments pay more for innovative drugs, Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot told the Financial Times in an interview published on Saturday. Soriot said AstraZeneca would have little choice but to prioritise the US market if pricing in Europe remained too low. ‘It’s sad and it’s heartbreaking but we would have no choice,’ Soriot told the FT. ‘I have to take care of patients but I also have to take care of our shareholders and generating enough revenue so we can reinvest in our R&D and invest in new medicines.’ According to the report, global pharmaceutical companies have signed so-called ’Most Favoured Nation’ agreements with the Trump administration, under which certain drug prices in the US cannot exceed those charged in Europe, Japan and Canada. The arrangements have prompted some companies to consider delaying or avoiding launches in Europe to prevent lower international prices from affecting US revenues, the FT said. Soriot noted that AstraZeneca generates around 45% of its revenue in the US, compared with roughly 2% each in the UK, France and Spain. The comments came after AstraZeneca celebrated its direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange, completed in February. Soriot dismissed suggestions that the move signalled a retreat from London, telling the FT that the company remained committed to the UK. Shares in AstraZeneca closed up 2.2% at 13,856.00 pence in London on Friday. Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
|
