How AstraZeneca's First Half Growth Led by Oncology Division
AstraZeneca's core operating profit and earnings per share (EPS) both increased by 11% in the first half of 2026, reaching US$10.5bn and US$5.21, respectively.
The company maintained steady commercial results and margins, even after losing patent protection for products like Farxiga, an SGLT2 inhibitor.
“In the first half we saw strong performance and continued pipeline delivery, including six key positive Phase III programmes and eight first approvals in major markets, including in the US for Baxfendy, our first-in-class medicine for hypertension,” says Pascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca.
“We are on track to deliver our US$80bn total revenue ambition, which assumes successes and setbacks.
“We remain confident in the strength of our pipeline and have more than twenty high-value readouts due over the next 18 months.
“We continue to invest at pace in our transformative technologies, and in our commercial execution to bring our innovative medicines to patients around the globe and drive growth beyond 2030.”
AstraZeneca reaffirmed its full-year 2026 guidance, expecting total revenue to grow by mid-to-high single digits and Core EPS to increase by low double digits at constant exchange rates.
Performance varied across departments
Oncology and Rare Disease led AstraZeneca’s growth, with both areas showing double-digit increases.
Oncology remained the largest division, generating US$14.1bn in revenue, a 15% increase from last year.
Growth came from strong demand for drugs like Imfinzi, which rose 29% to US$3.5bn, and from successful partnerships for antibody-drug conjugates such as Enhertu.
Revenue from Rare Disease increased by 11% to US$4.9bn, helped by greater use of the complement inhibitor Ultomiris.
BioPharmaceuticals, meanwhile, generated US$11.2bn and a 9% increase in Respiratory & Immunology helped offset challenges in the Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism divisions after Farxiga lost exclusivity in key markets.
AstraZeneca’s advances in clinical development are bringing the company closer to its goal of reaching US$80bn in total revenue by 2030.
The company now has 183 active pipeline projects, including 116 major Phase II/III projects and 21 late-stage new molecular entities.
How AI is shaping AstraZeneca
Pascal previously commented on how AI is helping pharmaceutical companies speed up medicine development and make better research decisions.
Investors are becoming more concerned about whether big investments in AI are actually benefiting the healthcare industry.
He also says AstraZeneca is already using AI in drug discovery and development, from finding new targets to improving the design of potential medicines.
Pascal says using AI in AstraZeneca's operations is part of a plan to cut chemistry, manufacturing, and controls development time by half.
He adds that the system could improve synthetic drug development by using simulations, data and the company’s expertise.
