AstraZeneca, hoping to get U.S. approval for the drug later this year and to file in Japan in 2019, enters the European market with the intention to utilize the cardiovascular angle as a growth strategy to enter the U.S. market. By adapting and redesigning their preclinical and early phase clinical trials in global markets, they set rigorous standards to furthering development of drugs.

When reviewing AstraZeneca’s pipeline, the company clearly focuses heavily on oncology treatments and is perhaps looking to expand their pipeline further by "uncovering new biology" with Lokelma, a drug utilized to treat the cardiovascular disease, Hyperkalaemia. Hyperkalaemia is a common diagnosis that must be treated promptly to prevent progression. Hyperkalaemia causes high levels of potassium in the blood and when left untreated, can lead to cardiac arrest and death. 

AstraZeneca’s pipeline currently holds 144 projects, 1 new molecular entity approval in its last quarter, and 11 new molecular entities in late-stage.  In reviewing the development of AstraZeneca’s “Lokelma”, their decision to enter another global market with the drug suggests an accelerated growth strategy with an interest in expanding to more diverse healthcare markets. AstraZeneca is likely pursuing this strategy to enter a market they have not previously been a strong power-player in; to “test the waters” a bit, and to provide the U.S. FDA with the FDA’s desired “real-world” evidence and data that they look for when approving drugs for commercialization in the United States. 

There is reason for AstraZeneca to move swiftly in this market if they are to be successful in achieving their goal of FDA approval later this year as they are in direct competition with multiple companies including Relypsa and Novo Nordisk, Inc. who have already developed and are marketing drugs of this caliber. Gaining commercialization within Europe in the cardiovascular realm sets AstraZeneca up with another global platform and a jumping off point to enter the U.S. market with strong “real-world” data and ensures that AstraZeneca is a name to contend with in not only the oncology sect but within the cardiovascular realm as well.