Astrazeneca's Anemia Expansion Strategy Drives $240M Trading Volume Drop to 403rd in Market Activity as $160M FibroGen China Acquisition Nears Closure

Astrazeneca (AZN) saw a 0.06% decline on August 18, 2025, with a trading volume of $0.24 billion, a 36.74% drop from the previous day, ranking it 403rd in market activity. The pharmaceutical giant continues to consolidate its position in the anemia treatment sector following regulatory approvals that enable its strategic expansion in China.

The company recently secured regulatory clearance for the acquisition of FibroGen's China unit, a $160 million transaction initially announced in February. This deal, now expected to close in Q3 2025, grants Astrazeneca full rights to Roxadustat in China. The drug is already approved in multiple regions for treating anemia in chronic kidney disease patients and is under development for lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome in the U.S.

The transaction remains conditional on other contractual obligations but represents a key step in Astrazeneca's strategy to expand its anemia portfolio. FibroGen's decision to repay its term loan facility post-transaction underscores the financial restructuring benefits for the biopharmaceutical firm, potentially extending its cash runway through 2027.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day from 2022 to now delivered moderate returns. The 1-day return was 0.98%, with a total return of 31.52% over 365 days. This indicates the strategy captured some short-term momentum but also reflected market volatility and potential timing risks.