AstraZeneca and Honeywell will partner to develop next-generation respiratory inhalers using the propellant HFO-1234ze, which has up to 99.9% less Global Warming Potential (GWP) than propellants currently used in respiratory medicines.
Last announcement coincides with the publication of the Company’s annual Sustainability Report and demonstrates progress on its flagship sustainability programme, Ambition Zero Carbon. The Report also shows that the entirety of AstraZeneca’s imported electricity now comes from renewable sources and that the Company has achieved a 59% reduction in its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since 2015, including the integration of Alexion’s GHG footprint.
Pascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca, said, “We are making great progress on our ambition to be zero carbon across our global operations by the end of 2025 and carbon negative across our entire value chain by 2030. Our collaboration with Honeywell demonstrates AstraZeneca’s commitment to advancing sustainable healthcare innovation, with the aim of improving outcomes for patients while reducing our environmental footprint.”
Darius Adamczyk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Honeywell, said, “The work we are doing with AstraZeneca developing a respiratory inhaler, with a new near-zero Global Warming Potential propellant, is tremendously important for both the environment and patients with respiratory issues. Our goal is to reduce respiratory healthcare carbon emissions without restricting patient choice or risking improvement in health outcomes.”
Supply chain science-based climate targets
AstraZeneca is one of the first seven companies globally to have its net zero targets verified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in line with their Corporate Net Zero Standard. To support its decarbonisation goals, AstraZeneca aims for 95% of its key suppliers and partners to have science-based targets by the end of 2025.
The Company is committed to sharing lessons learned from its own decarbonisation pathway, and is a founding member of the Energize programme launched at COP26 which focuses on increasing access to renewable energy for pharmaceutical supply chains, as well as the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) Health Systems Taskforce which aims to accelerate the delivery of net zero healthcare.
Determined to share its practices in the decarbonization process, the company is committed to the ‘Energize’ Program, established at COP26 to increase access to renewable energy for pharmaceutical supply chains, and the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) Health Systems Task Force, which aims to accelerate the delivery of net zero carbon healthcare services. is among the founding members.