FORM 6-K
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
Report
of Foreign Issuer
Pursuant
to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the
month of March 2021
Commission
File Number: 001-11960
AstraZeneca PLC
1
Francis Crick Avenue
Cambridge
Biomedical Campus
Cambridge
CB2 0AA
United
Kingdom
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
20-F X Form 40-F __
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ______
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information
to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes __
No X
If
“Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number
assigned to the Registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
82-_____________
AstraZeneca PLC
INDEX
TO EXHIBITS
1.
Divestment of Viela shareholding completed
16 March 2021 07:05 GMT
Divestment of Viela shareholding completed
AstraZeneca has completed the divestment of its 26.7%
ownership in Viela Bio, Inc. (Viela), as part of the proposed
acquisition of Viela by Horizon Therapeutics plc. This follows
the agreement
to divest the shareholding on 1 February 2021.
Financial considerations
AstraZeneca has received cash proceeds and profit of c.$775m. This
will be accounted for in other operating income in the Company's
financial statements. The divestment does not impact the Company's
financial guidance for 2021.
Viela
Viela (Nasdaq: VIE), headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a
biotechnology company dedicated to the discovery, development and
commercialisation of novel treatments for autoimmune and severe
inflammatory diseases. Viela was founded in 2018 as a spinout from
AstraZeneca, with clinical and pre-clinical projects from
AstraZeneca's inflammation and autoimmunity pipeline.
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led
biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery,
development and commercialisation of prescription medicines,
primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas -
Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory
& Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in
over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by
millions of patients worldwide. Please
visit astrazeneca.com and
follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca.
AstraZeneca contacts
For details on how to contact the Investor Relations Team, please
click here.
For Media contacts, click here.
Adrian Kemp
Company Secretary
AstraZeneca PLC
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date:
16 March
2021
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By: /s/
Adrian Kemp
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Name:
Adrian Kemp
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Title:
Company Secretary
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