AstraZeneca wins second award for investment in China

AstraZeneca has won the 48 Club Group award for UK Outward Investor of the Year 2007 recognising the company's considerable investment in China. The award was handed over at a ceremony at The Guildhall in London today. The activities of the 48 Group Club, established in 1953, are primarily relevant to managers leading the development of businesses in China for British organisations. Member companies and institutions vary in size and come from all sectors including industry, commerce, government, education, sports, culture and the law. John Ramsey, Vice President of Development, AstraZeneca, who received the award, said, " We feel very honoured to be recognised as the UK Outward Investor in this award scheme. After years of rigorous investments, AstraZeneca China has developed into a well-established organisation including a state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Wuxi, which is AstraZeneca's biggest manufacturing investment in Asia. Our Innovation Centre China announced last year will be one of the most advanced scientific research centres outside of our traditional areas of UK, Sweden and USA. We will continue to follow the concept of "In China, For China" and be dedicated to developing more innovative medicines to benefit Chinese patients." In recent years, AstraZeneca has become the leading multinational pharmaceutical company in China in prescription sales, with 2,900 employees and 23 regional sales offices in the biggest cities across the country. The company was one of the first multinational companies to conduct large-scale international multi-centre clinical trials in China. In 2001, a $134m state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was inaugurated in Wuxi. Recently, the company has announced a further $35m investment in the site. In May 2006, AstraZeneca announced its intention to invest $100m in R&D, focused primarily on establishing the AstraZeneca Innovation Centre China (ICC), a leading edge biomarker research centre initially targeting cancer therapies specifically relevant for Chinese patients. Cancer has become the No. 1 killer of Chinese patients. This is the second award won by AstraZeneca China in the last few months. In December 2006, AstraZeneca was named the winner of the Pacific Star Award as a UK-based company demonstrating exceptional commitment to business in China and or Hong Kong in the Cathay Pacific Awards. About 48 Group Club 48 Group Club provides long-term support to Chinese economic development and Chinese reform and opening scheme. It has taken an active position in promoting Sino-British trade since 1950' s. The club merged with the China-Britain Trade Group in 1990' s, now known as the China Britain Business Council (CBBC). In recent years, the organisation has made great efforts in promoting investment in China from Europe and America and facilitating the successful establishment of many large joint ventures in China. About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in research, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and supplier for healthcare services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of US $26.47 billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection product sales. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. AstraZeneca China has its headquarters in Shanghai. For more information please visit: www.astrazeneca.com.cn Media Enquiries: Edel McCaffrey, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5034 Steve Brown, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5033 Investor Enquiries: Mina Blair, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5084 Jonathan Hunt, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5087 Karl Hård, Tel: +44 (0)207 304 5322 Ed Seage, Tel: +1 302 886 4065 Jörgen Winroth, Tel + 1 212 579 0506