AstraZeneca has spun off part of its gastrointestinal research operation into a new biopharmaceutical company called Albireo. The move is part of the company’s realignment plans, announced in 2006, to refocus its research away from certain areas within cardiovascular and gastrointestinal medicine.     AZ will retain a minority shareholding in the new company. New investors, Nomura Phase4 Ventures, TVM Capital and Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, have invested $27 million in the c...