INNOVATIVE TB INITIATIVE AT THE CENTRE OF ASTRAZENECA’S INDIAN BUSINESS VENTURE

Substantial  Investment in India Targets New Medicines for Developing Nations

Bangalore June 1, 2001: AstraZeneca PLC, a global pharmaceutical major today announced that its research centre at Bangalore will focus on finding a new treatment for tuberculosis (TB), the dreaded killer disease.  A new 10 Million Dollars research building aimed at tackling tuberculosis and other diseases primarily found in the developing world was presented by AstraZeneca at its Foundation Day in Bangalore. “Events such as these provide us with an excellent opportunity to interact directly with people who will be positively impacted by the work we are planning in Bangalore” said Dr Michael Rance, Head of Corporate Affairs for AstraZeneca at its London headquarters.   In addition to the 10 million dollars for the facility, the programme  will include at least USD 5 million annually from 2001to 2005 to support research activities.

The new labs will become an integral part of the company’s research into infectious diseases and focus on Developing World Diseases together with academic collaborations, AstraZeneca R&D in Bangalore will become a leading center of excellence for Developing World Diseases Research.  For next 5 years, this Center would focus only on Tuberculosis research program. Dr Barry Furr, Chief Scientist and head of the project evaluation group at AstraZeneca Plc, has been appointed to spearhead the lab activities. “With no effective drug for its treatment over last 40 years we have an opportunity to discover new and efficacious treatment for TB which is afflicting 16 million people world wide and two million people in India says, Dr Tanjore Balganesh, Head of Research at the Bangalore R&D Center. “ The availability of the TB genome sequence allows fresh opportunities to discover new therapies for the treatment. ” he added.

The new R&D center will use cutting edge technology as Microarray to identify and study  new targets for drug discovery.. The center is equipped with the latest drug discovery technologies such as microbial genomics, medium throughput screening and combinatorial chemistry towards identifying new chemical molecules. The Bangalore center will focus on understanding the mechanism by which the TB microbe evades the immune system and the prevailing treatments.

Dame Bridget Ogilvie, a non-executive member of the AstraZeneca Board and Chairman of the Medicines for Malaria Venture said: AstraZeneca is the only pharmaceutical company to recognize this area of medical need with a research Programme in India dedicated to TB, and I am delighted to be able to support them on this important project”.

Currently, 65 scientists are working in the labs, and the center plans  to hire more scientists over the next five years from India and abroad.  ”Bangalore is the academic centre of India and with the new Biotechnology Initiatives taken by the Government of Karnataka, we have a tremendous opportunity to attract top class scientists to work with us on this programme, said Kumud Sampath, Head of Operations at the R&D Centre.

The research facility at Bangalore is among the nine global R&D sites of AstraZeneca PLC. AstraZeneca R&D Bangalore will collaborate with leading academicians working on cutting edge of TB research as well as other AstraZeneca scientists with experience of infection , drug discovery and development based in USA. and Cheshire, U.K,

The day also marked the formation of AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited following the acquisition earlier in the year, by AstraZeneca of a 51% share of Astra-IDL Limited.  “With multifarious business and research activities, AstraZeneca will tap the potential pharmaceutical market in India that is the 11 largest in the world”. Says, Mr Lars Walan, Managing Director, AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited.

Coinciding with its Foundation Day the company is launching a website for its indian operations – www.astrazenecaindia.com

As a part of AstraZeneca’s further commitment to Tuberculosis R&D,  AstraZeneca’s Foundation in India is organising an International Symposium on “Current Developments in Drug Discovery for Tuberculosis” in collaboration with Global Alliance for  TB Drug Development, New York, USA  & World Health Organisation – Tropical Disease Research, Geneva,  from January 14-17, 2002 at National Science Seminar Complex, Bangalore.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is one of the leading five pharmaceutical companies in the world. The multibillion company’s interests include therapeutic areas such as oncology, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, central nervous system, pain control and infection. Its operations are spread across the globe in 44 countries, employing over 50,000 people. Its annual research budget is around USD 2.5 billion.

AstraZeneca owns a 100% subsidiary in Research & Development establishment- AstraZeneca India Private Limited, a world class centre of excellence in Bangalore. The R&D is focusing on discovering novel therapies for infectious diseases of the developing world such as  tuberculosis. In addition, AstraZeneca has recently acquired  a controlling stake in Astra-IDL Ltd., a company engaged in manufacturing and marketing operations in Bangalore, which will be known as AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd from June 1, 2001.

For further enquiries, please call:  Kumud Sampath (Bangalore) +91 80 3340372

Notes to editors:

TB is the single largest infectious disease killer of adults in the world.  Although the majority of cases occur in developing countries, there is increasing evidence of the disease in industrialized countries.

Current treatment involves a multiple drug regime of four drugs taken over a minimum duration of six months to achieve a cure.  No significant new drugs have been introduced for TB in the past 40 years.  The problems of managing the disease are compounded by the ability of the infectious organism to evolve, adapt and develop drug resistance.