AstraZeneca
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.
Current members of the
board of directors of AstraZeneca are:
Peter Bonfield,
David Brennan,
John Buchanan,
Jane Henney,
Michele Hooper,
Joe Jimenez,
Tom McKillop,
HÃ¥kan Mogren,
Erna Möller,
Bridget Ogilvie,
John Patterson,
Louis Schweitzer,
Jonathan Symonds, and
Marcus Wallenberg.
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]*
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 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]AstraZeneca is one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2004 according to
Working Mothers magazine.
AstraZeneca is the major sponsor for
Breast Cancer Awareness Month which focuses on early detection and treatment[
1]. AstraZeneca is also a leading producer of breast cancer treatment drugs like
Tamoxifen and
ArimidexAstraZeneca 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) â€" 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
***
Zactima (
Phase III clinical trial -
Press release)
*
Neuroscience** Mysoline (
primidone) â€" 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)
*
Infection** Apatef/Cefotan (
cefotetan)
** Merrem/Meronem (
meropenem)
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.
*
List of pharmaceutical companies# 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
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AstraZeneca website*
Yahoo profile
