Result of Meeting - Part 1

AstraZeneca PLC 12 December 2000 Part 1 ASTRAZENECA REPORTS CONTINUED STRONG PROGRESS ACROSS R&D PORTFOLIO AstraZeneca today presents an R&D update to a meeting of analysts, at its Molndal site in Sweden. - Recent investments, increased access to the US science and technology base and reshaping, make AstraZeneca's Discovery organisation one of the largest and most innovative in the pharmaceutical industry - 10 new chemical entities into development so far this year - 152 projects in AstraZeneca's R&D pipeline - Further launches of Nexium in more than 20 countries planned in 2001 - AstraZeneca's statin, named Crestor, on track for filing in Q2 2001 with highly competitive profile and impressive reduction in LDL-cholesterol - Oral direct thrombin inhibitor - major indications on track - filing for first indication now expected late 2002 - Regulatory submissions for Faslodex for breast cancer, Iressa for non small-cell lung cancer, and Viozan for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease scheduled for 2001 - Casodex - accelerated filing for early prostate cancer - Line extensions and new indications underpin growth of new products Significant Investment and Innovation in AstraZeneca Global Discovery AstraZeneca presents details of the reshaping of its global Discovery organisation over the past 12 months. With more than 3,300 staff working in multi-disciplinary teams, covering eight research areas, in nine sites across three regions - Sweden, UK and North America - AstraZeneca has one of the largest and most productive Discovery organisations in the pharmaceutical industry. In North America the company has taken steps to optimise access to the US science and technology base with a significant investment in new research facilities in Boston where it is expanding its research capabilities in cancer, infection and enabling science and technology (EST). Further investment is also being made in the central nervous system (CNS) site at Wilmington and the recently established pain research unit in Montreal. AstraZeneca has established a structure which enhances the company's ability to exploit the best new opportunities in breakthrough science and technology and now has more than 300 external collaborations with leading universities and biotech companies. 'Discovery will deliver more than 10 candidate drugs in 2000,' said Professor Jan Lundberg, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Discovery. 'Ten candidate drugs, meeting stringent quality criteria, have been taken into development already and several more compounds will be nominated before the end of the year. 'Overall, the changes we have introduced over the past year have generated all the benefits of scale of a large organisation, while retaining the spirit and innovation of a focussed biotech company,' he said. AstraZeneca R&D on Track to Meet Challenging Targets Dr Claes Wilhelmsson, Director of Research & Development, reports that the company is on track to meet the challenging targets set 12 months ago: - to deliver more than 15 candidate drugs per year by 2003 - to double the success rate of new drugs progressing through development to the market to 20 per cent by 2005 - to reduce the target time, from candidate drug selection to registration, to less than six years - to deliver in the future three or more medically important and commercially attractive new products per year - to launch in all major markets within a time window of 12 months - to contribute to doubling the value of the portfolio every five years. Continued Progress across Development Portfolio Cardiovascular Dr Hamish Cameron, Vice President and Head of the Cardiovascular Therapy Area, gives an update on this important area of AstraZeneca research and development and reports substantial progress across a wide range of projects. Ongoing studies on Zestril, Seloken ZOK/Toprol-XL, Plendil and Atacand Plus/Atacand HCT are providing fuel for further growth of marketed products with new indications. The international tradename for ZD4522, AstraZeneca's cholesterol-lowering drug, is announced today as Crestor. Phase II data on Crestor demonstrates significant, dose-dependent reductions in low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol of up to 65 per cent across the dose range with favourable effects on high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and triglycerides. Phase III trials comparing Crestor with simvastatin, pravastatin and atorvastatin in both 12 and 52-week studies, and with a variety of endpoints, are now being completed, and regulatory submission in Europe and USA is on track for Q2 2001, with Japan to follow shortly afterwards. These phase III data for Crestor, some of which will be presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in March 2001, demonstrate statistically and clinically significant greater reductions in LDL-cholesterol with Crestor, than with simvastatin or pravastatin. Pravastatin and simvastatin, administered at their recommended starting doses, produced mean 28 and 37 per cent reductions in LDL-cholesterol respectively, while Crestor, at doses of 5mg and 10mg yielded 42 and 49 per cent reductions. These changes were reflected in the number of patients who reached the desired target cholesterol levels. Comparative data with atorvastatin will be presented at the ACC in March 2001. As a result of these positive data, an extensive outcomes programme for Crestor was announced to include approximately 40,000 patients. These studies, which will begin in 2001, will define a new standard in the treatment of lipid disorders and are expected to provide a significant commercial opportunity for AstraZeneca. The oral direct thrombin inhibitor, H376/95, is the first significant advance in oral anti-coagulation therapy in 50 years. AstraZeneca is targetting the key indications of long term treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and the prevention of strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation. The recently completed METHRO III trial and the US study 236 compared H376/95 against enoxaparin and warfarin respectively for the minor indication of prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE), following orthopaedic surgery. Results confirm the efficacy and safety of H376/95 but the statistical endpoint of superior efficacy was not met. Filings for the initial indication in prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism, in total knee and hip replacement surgery, will not take place before the second half of 2002 while AstraZeneca conducts further phase III studies to support registration of this indication. Registration plans for the major indication for patients with atrial fibrillation, currently in phase III development, are on track for filings in 2003. H376/95 will represent a significant advance in the treatment of thromboembolic disease, meeting the needs of physicians and patients. The aim of the development programme is to deliver an effective, convenient, easy to use, oral anticoagulant with a wide margin for safety, thus free of the need for routine laboratory monitoring, and this ambition remains unchanged. Several new developments in the earlier stage of the cardiovascular portfolio were presented, including the new oral anti-arrhythmic AR-H050642 which is about to enter clinical development. In thrombosis, two further compounds, the factor Xa inhibitor and the novel P2T agonists are progressing and have both yielded important data from preclinical studies. In addition, work on PPAR agonists in insulin resistance has yielded a lead compound, AZ242, now in phase II, which is a potent, once-daily, well tolerated compound with a promising profile. Gastro-intestinal Nexium, the first proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to show clinical advantages over Losec in the healing and symptom relief of GERD, is on track with launches in six European markets in less than 12 months since NDA submission. Further launches in more than 20 countries are planned for next year, including the USA. Market reactions to Nexium have been very favourable. In the UK it has been one of the most successful launches of a new chemical entity, while in Germany, Nexium has had a rapid sales take-off despite a highly genericised market place. In Sweden, where the launch to GPs has not yet taken place, Nexium sales have outperformed all the other PPIs based on monthly sales performance from launch. Other development opportunities in the GI franchise are presented, including an update on AR-H047108, a reversible acid pump inhibitor and a novel GABAb-mediated reflux inhibitor, which represents a completely new approach to the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Two projects are also underway in the discovery phase to develop a monotherapy and a vaccine for helicobacter pylori, which affects approximately 50 per cent of the population, leading to peptic ulcer disease in 10 per cent of those infected. Highlights of the other therapy areas In Oncology, progress being made in the large-scale trial for the treatment of early prostate cancer with Casodex is such that the company is working towards a filing early next year - much earlier than planned. The regulatory submissions for Faslodex in second-line advanced breast cancer, based on clinical studies published last week, are due to be filed in Q1 next year, with first-line treatment expected to follow within one year. Iressa, the signal transduction inhibitor in phase III development for lung, prostate, stomach, breast and other types of cancer is on track for initial submissions to regulatory authorities at the end of 2001, with the majority of clinical studies being completed within three years from the start of the programme. In Respiratory, Viozan, the novel treatment for the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is scheduled for European and US regulatory submission in Q4 2001. Symbicort, first launched in Sweden in August 2000 is progressing towards European Mutual Recognition and a European launch roll out is planned in 2001. Initial sales are very encouraging. In CNS, Zomig continues to show strong growth with the development of the Rapimelt and nasal spray formulations. Bridging studies have been used to gain approval for Zomig in Japan this year, illustrating the significant progress being made by AstraZeneca in expediting regulatory approval for new products in this important market. Seroquel also continues to grow strongly with new results supporting the product's claims of excellent tolerability and efficacy. Further trials are now underway for the new indication of bipolar disorder, with granule and sustained release formulations in development to offer additional advantages in patient acceptance. Concluding the presentation, Dr Tom McKillop, Chief Executive of AstraZeneca, said: 'I am pleased with the progress we have made with our pipeline which forms the basis of transforming the company and delivering strong future growth.' AstraZeneca, Atacand, Crestor, Faslodex, Iressa, Losec, Nexium, Plendil, Seloken ZOK, Symbicort, Toprol-XL, Viozan, Zestril, Zomig, Rapimelt and Seroquel are trade marks of the AstraZeneca group. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS In order to utilise the 'Safe Harbour' provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, AstraZeneca is providing the following cautionary statement. This Report contains certain forward-looking statements about AstraZeneca. We intend to identify the forward-looking statements in this report, by using the words 'anticipates,' 'believes,' 'expects,' 'intends,' and similar expressions in such statements. Although we believe our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, our forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties and factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected or implied. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements, certain of which are beyond our control, include, among other things: risk of loss or expiration of patents or trademarks (in particular, the expiration in the near future of patents covering Losec and Zestril); the difficulty of integrating Zeneca's and Astra's large and complex businesses on a timely basis and realizing synergies; the risk that R&D will not yield new products that achieve commercial success; the impact of competition, price controls and price reductions; the difficulties of obtaining governmental regulatory approvals for new products; the risk of substantial product liability claims; exposure to fluctuations in exchange rates for foreign currencies and exposure to US environmental liabilities. No assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by our forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what impact they will have on the results of operations and financial condition of AstraZeneca. 12 December 2000 Further Enquiries: Investor Relations: Michael Olsson, tel +44 (0)20 7304 5087 Jorgen Winroth, tel +1 609 896 4148 More to follow... ROMUUUKRRNRUARA

Companies

AstraZeneca (AZN)
UK 100