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AstraZeneca PLC (, ), is a large Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company formed on 6 April 1999 by the merger of Swedish Astra AB and British Zeneca Group PLC. Zeneca was part of Imperial Chemical Industries prior to a demerger in 1993. AstraZeneca develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals to treat disorders in the gastrointestinal, cardiac and vascular, neurological and psychiatric, infection, respiratory, pathological inflammation and oncology areas.
Sales in 2004 totalled $21.4 billion, with a profit before tax of $4.8 billion. Total R&D spending was $3.8 billion. The corporate headquarters are in London, UK, the research and development (R&D) headquarters are in Södertälje, Sweden. Major R&D centres are located on three continents in the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, and India.
The current chief executive of AstraZeneca is David Brennan. He replaced Sir Tom McKillop on January 1, 2006.
Corporate structure
Current members of the board of directors of AstraZeneca are: Peter Bonfield, David Brennan, John Buchanan, Jane Henney, Michele Hooper, Joe Jimenez, Tom McKillop, Håkan Mogren, Erna Möller, Bridget Ogilvie, John Patterson, Louis Schweitzer, Jonathan Symonds, and Marcus Wallenberg.
Merger and acquisition activity
AstraZeneca has, following a collaborative relationship begun in 2004,Press release, 22 November 2004 commenced the aquisition of Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT).May 15, 2006 MarketWatch report The company is currently in the final stages of exercising compulsory acquisition options against outstanding CAT shares.Press release, 7 July 2006
Collaborations and alliances
- Abbott Laboratories in relation to Crestor® and TriCor®, commencing in 2006 and extending to at least 2009.Press release, 5 July 2006
- Astex. Announced 2005. For discovery, development and commercialisation of novel small molecule inhibitors of Protein Kinase B for use as anti-cancer agents.Press release, 27 July 2005
- Avanir. Announced 2005. For research and licensing in the area of Reverse Cholesterol Transport (RCT) enhancing compounds for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.Press release, 11 July 2005
- Diamond Member of the Pennsylvania Bio commerce organization.
- Schering AG. Announced 2005. For research and licensing in the area of Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor Agonists (SEGRAs).Press release, 27 July 2005
Diversity
AstraZeneca is one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2004 according to Working Mothers magazine.
AstraZeneca and Breast Cancer
AstraZeneca is the major sponsor for Breast Cancer Awareness Month which focuses on early detection and treatment*. AstraZeneca is also a leading producer of breast cancer treatment drugs like Tamoxifen and Arimidex
Products
AstraZeneca specialises in prescription medicines to fight disease in the several therapeutic areas. Year-on sales information can be found through AstraZeneca annual reports. The following is a list of key products as found on the AstraZeneca website, retrieved 2005-03-27.
- Gastrointestinal
- Entocort (budesonide)
- Losec/Prilosec/Mopral (omeprazole)
- Nexium (esomeprazole)
- Cardiovascular
- Atacand (candesartan)
- Betaloc (metoprolol)
- Crestor (rosuvastatin)
- Exanta (ximelagatran) – withdrawn in 2006
- Imdur (isosorbide mononitrate)
- Inderal (propranolol)
- Lexxel (enalapril/felodipine)
- Logimax (felodipine/metoprolol)
- Nif-Ten (atenlol/nifedipine)
- Plendil (felodipine)
- Ramace (ramipril)
- Seloken ZOK/Toprol-XL (extended-release metoprolol)
- Tenoretic (atenolol/chlorthalidone)
- Tenormin (atenolol)
- Unimax (felodipine/ramipril)
- Xylocard (lidocaine)
- Zestoretic (lisinopril/hydrochlorothiazide)
- Zestril (lisinopril)
- Respiratory
- Accolate (zafirlukast)
- Bambec (bambuterol)
- Bricanyl (terbutaline)
- Oxis (formoterol)
- Pulmicort (inhaled budesonide)
- Rhinocort (intranasal budesonide)
- Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol)
- Oncology
- Arimidex (anastrozole)
- Casodex (bicalutamide)
- Faslodex (fulvestrant)
- Iressa (gefitinib)
- Nolvadex (tamoxifen)
- Tomudex (raltitrexed)
- Zoladex (goserelin)
- in development
- Neuroscience
- Mysoline (primidone) – transferred to Acorus Therapeutics Ltd in July 2004)
- Seroquel (quetiapine)
- Vivalan (viloxazine)
- Zomig (zolmitriptan)
- Anaesthetics
- Carbocaine (mepivacaine)
- Chirocaine (levobupivacaine)
- Diprivan (propofol)
- EMLA (lidocaine/prilocaine)
- Marcaine/Sensorcaine (bupivacaine)
- Naropin (ropivacaine)
- Xylocaine (lidocaine)
Controversy over Nexium
Nexium, the successor to Prilosec, has according to some commentators "become a symbol of everything that is wrong with the pharmaceutical industry". The issue was that of evergreening patents, which in effect would extend the market dominence of certain proprietry medicines. Esomeprazole is a single stereoisomer of omeprazole and based upon available evidence there seems to be little difference between the two in dose-related response. However, AZ as owners of the lucrative Losec patent sought to extend domination of the PPI market with Nexium, marketed as the successor to the original drug. Though identical in biological action, the new drug could be patented, thus achieving "evergreening" of the product and maintaining market share.See also
References
- standard practice is that the name be pronounced as "Astra Zeneca" rather than "Astrazeneca".
- AstraZeneca PLC (July 28, 2005). The Board of AstraZeneca PLC announces the appointment of David R Brennan as Chief Executive with effect from 1 January 2006 upon the retirement at that time of Sir Tom McKillop. Press release.
- AstraZeneca Profile. Verified availability February 3, 2006.
- Gladwell, Malcolm (October 25, 2004). "High Prices: How to think about prescription drugs". The New Yorker. Verified availability August 5, 2005.
Notes
External links
AstraZeneca | Companies of Sweden | Multinational companies | Pharmaceutical companies of the United Kingdom | Wallenberg Sphere | Södertälje Municipality | Company portmanteaus | Companies based in London
"AstraZeneca"