British-Swedish biologics and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca on Friday announced its plan to acquire US biotech firm ZS Pharma for $2.7 billion. AstraZeneca offered to pay $90 per share for access to ZS’s potassium-binding compound 'ZS-9' which the former said could be among the best treatments for Hyperkalaemia (high potassium levels) and net global sales of over $1 billion annually.