Abstract
Following the merger of Astra and Zeneca, AstraZeneca has worked to transform
itself into one of the world' s leading research-based pharmaceutical
companies. This report provides a full review of the company' s activities
together with sales forecasts for key products to 2010.
AstraZeneca, formed in 1999 through the merger of Astra AB of Sweden and
Zeneca Group PLC of the UK, has corporate headquarters in London, and research
and development headquarters in Sweden. Since the merger, AstraZeneca has
maintained its position as one of the world' s leading pharmaceutical companies
having never left the top five companies in terms of pharmaceutical sales. It
focuses on a number of therapeutic areas: gastrointestinal, respiratory,
cardiovascular, pain control/anaesthesia, central nervous system, oncology and
infection. AstraZeneca spends almost US$3.4 billion annually on R&D, has sales
in over 100 countries and employs over 65,00 people worldwide.
Current Growth Drivers
AstraZeneca now has ten products with global sales of US$1 billion, with five
acting as the “engines” for growth in the medium-term:
- Nexium (esomeprazole), a proton pump inhibitor used to treat a wide range
of acid-related disorders, was the company' s top selling product in 2005.
- Crestor (rosuvastatin), a statin indicated to treat dyslipidaemia, which
has posted strong year-on-year growth since its launch in 2003 in spite of
safety concerns raised in the US.
- In 2005, Seroquel (quetiapine), an atypical anti-psychotic used to treat
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, become the most prescribed drug in its
class in the US.
- Arimdex (anastrozole), a treatment for breast cancer in post-menopausal
women, posted the highest growth of AstraZeneca' s products in 2005,
establishing itslef as the world' s leading aromatase inhibitor by value.
- Symbicort (budesonide+formoterol), an inhaled therapy for asthma and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whose sales in 2005 exceeded the
US$1 billion mark despite not having entered the US market yet. An NDA was
submitted to the FDA in September 2005, and in July 2006 it received approval
for asthma.
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