A logo adorns an exterior wall of the offices of pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in Macclesfield, central England.
British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said Tuesday that its net profit jumped 45 percent last year on strong sales of cancer drugs, as it expands its reach in the United States and China.
Profit after tax rose to $10.2 billion in 2025 from $7.0 billion a year earlier, AstraZeneca said in a statement.
Revenue increased nine percent to $58.7 billion, boosted by a rise in cancer drug sales.
"In 2025, we saw strong commercial performance across our therapy areas and excellent pipeline delivery," said chief executive Pascal Soriot.
"The momentum across our company is continuing in 2026," he added, with the group hoping to achieve $80 billion in annual revenue by the end of the decade.
AstraZeneca has recently expanded its footprint into its two largest markets, the United States and China.
The group said last month that it would invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand its medicines manufacturing and research, as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer made a trip to Beijing.
During the visit, it also announced a deal with Chinese group CSPC Pharmaceutical to help develop and market weight-loss injections, which have exploded in popularity in recent years.
Britain's largest drugmaker has also been making a recent shift towards the United States, which it hopes will account for half its global revenue by 2030.
Last year, the U.S. accounted for 43 percent of its total revenue.
Highlighting the increasing importance of the U.S. market, AstraZeneca began listing its shares directly on the New York Stock Exchange in February to attract more investors.
It will remain headquartered in the UK and keep its primary share listing in London.
Faced with U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of pharmaceutical tariffs, AstraZeneca in July revealed plans to invest $50 billion by 2030 on boosting its U.S. manufacturing and research operations.
Trump also forged a deal with AstraZeneca for significantly lower drug prices in the United States.
In exchange, the Trump administration agreed to a three-year delay on new tariffs.
The pharmaceutical industry remains a key target of Trump, with drugs tariffs imposed on other countries as he demands companies switch operations to the U.S..
