LONDON--AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.LN) on Wednesday said it has increased its equity interest in U.S.-based biotechnology company Moderna Therapeutics with a $140 million investment.

The U.K.-listed pharmaceutical company now owns a 9% stake in Moderna after the transaction, which was made as part of Moderna's preferred-stock financing.

AstraZeneca previously acquired an equity stake in Moderna after a collaboration agreement, announced in March 2013, to develop medicines for cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases, as well as oncology. The companies also entered into a further collaboration agreement in January 2016 to develop and commercialize cancer medicines.

Shares of AstraZeneca at 1352 GMT were trading 0.6% lower at 5,147 pence.

Write to Tapan Panchal at tapan.panchal@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 10, 2016 10:40 ET (14:40 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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