27th Oct 2005 11:00
AstraZeneca PLC27 October 2005 Consolidated Income Statement As restatedFor the nine months ended 30 September 2005 2004 $m $m Sales 17,664 15,627Cost of sales (3,968) (3,695)Distribution costs (155) (132)Research and development (2,506) (2,568)Selling, general and administrative expenses (6,292) (6,130)Other operating income 123 174Operating profit 4,866 3,276Profit on sale of interest in joint venture - 219Finance income 484 396Finance expense (372) (342)Profit before tax 4,978 3,549Taxation (1,481) (795)Profit for the period 3,497 2,754 Attributable to:Equity holders of the Company 3,482 2,741Minority interests 15 13 3,497 2,754 Basic earnings before non-recurring items per $0.25 OrdinaryShare $2.14 $1.46Basic earnings per $0.25 Ordinary Share $2.14 $1.63Diluted earnings per $0.25 Ordinary Share $2.14 $1.63Weighted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue (millions) 1,626 1,679Diluted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue (millions) 1,627 1,681 Non-recurring items in 2004 comprised profit on sale of interest in jointventure ($219 million) and non-recurring tax credits ($67 million). Consolidated Income Statement As restatedFor the quarter ended 30 September 2005 2004 $m $m Sales 5,789 5,265Cost of sales (1,245) (1,286)Distribution costs (51) (46)Research and development (781) (823)Selling, general and administrative expenses (2,056) (1,965)Other operating income 39 27Operating profit 1,695 1,172Profit on sale of interest in joint venture - 219Finance income 168 124Finance expense (120) (96)Profit before tax 1,743 1,419Taxation (513) (280)Profit for the period 1,230 1,139 Attributable to:Equity holders of the Company 1,223 1,133Minority interests 7 6 1,230 1,139 Basic earnings before non-recurring items per $0.25 OrdinaryShare $0.76 $0.51Basic earnings per $0.25 Ordinary Share $0.76 $0.68Diluted earnings per $0.25 Ordinary Share $0.76 $0.68Weighted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue (millions) 1,611 1,669Diluted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue (millions) 1,613 1,671 Non-recurring items in 2004 comprised profit on sale of interest in jointventure ($219 million) and non-recurring tax credits ($67 million). Consolidated Balance Sheet As restatedAs at 30 September 2005 2004 $m $m ASSETSNon-current assetsProperty, plant and equipment 7,262 7,628Goodwill and intangible assets 2,763 2,907Other investments 239 134Deferred tax assets 1,168 1,549 11,432 12,218 Current assetsInventories 2,493 3,080Trade and other receivables 4,960 4,986Short term investments 1,242 3,167Cash and cash equivalents 4,400 1,020 13,095 12,253Total assets 24,527 24,471 LIABILITIESCurrent liabilitiesShort term borrowings and overdrafts (122) (170)Other creditors (6,619) (6,590) (6,741) (6,760)Non-current liabilitiesLoans (1,122) (1,095)Deferred tax liabilities (1,217) (1,371)Retirement benefit obligations (1,678) (1,505)Provisions (316) (263)Other liabilities (84) (63) (4,417) (4,297)Total liabilities (11,158) (11,057)Net assets 13,369 13,414 EQUITY Capital and reserves attributable to equity holdersShare capital 399 415Share premium account 638 524Other reserves 1,866 1,949Retained earnings 10,372 10,444 13,275 13,332 Minority equity interests 94 82Total equity and reserves 13,369 13,414 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement As restatedFor the nine months ended 30 September 2005 2004 $m $mCash flows from operating activities Operating profit before taxation 4,866 3,276Depreciation and amortisation 933 896Decrease/(increase) in working capital 72 (518)Other non-cash movements 175 177Cash from operating activities 6,046 3,831Interest paid (15) (21)Tax paid (1,217) (1,011)Net cash inflow from operating activities 4,814 2,799Cash flows from investing activitiesDisposal of business operations - 308Movement in short term investments and fixed deposits (101) (150)Purchases of property, plant and equipment (586) (833)Disposals of property, plant and equipment 77 17Purchase of intangible assets (137) (125)Purchase of fixed asset investments (6) (7)Interest received 137 96Dividends paid by subsidiaries to minority interests (5) (5)Dividends received - 5Net cash outflow from investing activities (621) (694)Net cash inflow before financing activities 4,193 2,105Cash flows from financing activitiesProceeds from issue of share capital 76 75Repurchase of shares (2,182) (1,550)Increase in loans - 734Dividends paid (1,717) (1,378)Movement in short term borrowings 8 (1)Net cash outflow from financing activities (3,815) (2,120)Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in theperiod 378 (15)Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period 3,927 872Exchange rate effects (16) (5)Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period 4,289 852Cash and cash equivalents consists of:Cash and cash equivalents 4,400 1,020Overdrafts (111) (168) 4,289 852 Statement of Recognised Income and Expense As restatedFor the nine months ended 30 September 2005 2004 $m $m Net profit for the period (excluding minority interests) 3,482 2,741Foreign exchange adjustments on consolidation (854) 425Tax on foreign exchange adjustments (49) 370Valuation gains taken to equity, net of tax - 1Actuarial losses, net of tax (22) (4)Recognised income and expense for the period 2,557 3,533 Notes to the Interim Financial Statements 1 BASIS OF PREPARATION AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES The unaudited financial statements for the nine months ended 30 September 2005have been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standards andInternational Financial Reporting Standards (collectively "IFRS") expected to beendorsed by the European Union (EU) and available for use by European companiesat 31 December 2005. These IFRSs are subject to ongoing review and possibleamendment or interpretive guidance and are therefore still subject to change.Details of the accounting policies applied are set out in the IFRS Restatementinformation in AstraZeneca PLC's Annual Report and Form 20-F Information 2004,except that, in the period under review, the amendment to IAS 39 'FinancialInstruments: Recognition and Measurement - The Fair Value Option' has beenadopted. As a result, the accounting for long term loans has been changed; suchloans are now categorised as fair value through profit and loss with changes invalue recognised in the income statement. Previously these loans had beenrecognised at cost except where hedge accounting had been applied. Thecomparative information has been restated accordingly. The effect of adoptionon comparative results was not significant: net assets at 30 September 2004 werereduced by $21m. The policies assume that this amendment, together with theamendments to IAS 19 "Employee Benefits" published in December 2004 by theInternational Accounting Standards Board, allowing actuarial gains and losses tobe recognised in full through reserves, will be endorsed by the EU. The new information contained in Note 3 updates the disclosures concerning legalproceedings in the Company's Annual Report and Form 20-F Information 2004 andHalf Year Results 2005. These interim financial statements do not constitute statutory accounts of theGroup within the meaning of Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. Statutoryaccounts for the year ended 31 December 2004, which were prepared underaccounting practices generally accepted in the UK, have been filed with theRegistrar of Companies. The auditor's report on those accounts was unqualifiedand did not contain any statement under Section 237 of the Companies Act 1985. 2 NET FUNDS The table below provides an analysis of net funds and a reconciliation of netcash flow to the movement in net funds. As restated 1 Jan Cash Other Exchange At 30 Sep 2005 flow non-cash movements 2005 $m $m $m $m $m Loans due after 1 year (1,127) - 5 - (1,122)Current instalments of loans - - - - -Total loans (1,127) - 5 - (1,122)Short term investments 1,167 101 (24) (2) 1,242Cash and cash equivalents 4,067 351 - (18) 4,400Overdrafts (140) 27 - 2 (111)Short term borrowings (2) (8) - (1) (11) 5,092 471 (24) (19) 5,520Net funds 3,965 471 (19) (19) 4,398 Other non-cash movements in the period consist of fair value adjustments underIAS 39. 3 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AstraZeneca is involved in various legal proceedings considered typical to itsbusiness, including litigation relating to employment matters, productliability, commercial disputes, infringement of intellectual property rights andthe validity of certain patents. The matters discussed below constitute themore significant developments since publication of the disclosures concerninglegal proceedings in the Company's Annual Report and Form 20-F Information 2004and Half Year Results 2005. DiprivanTM (propofol) In September 2005, AstraZeneca received notification from AmphastarPharmaceuticals, Inc. under section 505(b)(2) of the US Food, Drug, and CosmeticAct that it intends to manufacture and sell propofol in the US prior to theexpiration of certain of AstraZeneca's propofol-related patents. Amphastarcontends that these patents would not be infringed by such manufacture and sale. AstraZeneca is evaluating Amphastar's notification and continues to have fullconfidence in its intellectual property protecting DiprivanTM. LosecTM (omeprazole) As previously disclosed, in June 2005 the European Commission notifiedAstraZeneca PLC and AstraZeneca AB of its Decision to impose fines totaling €60mon the companies for infringements of European competition law (Article 82 ofthe EC Treaty and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement). The fine was fully providedfor in the half year results through a charge to operating profit of $75m.AstraZeneca does not accept the Commission's Decision and has appealed it to theCourt of First Instance. AstraZeneca denies that it had a dominant position orthat it engaged in the behaviours as characterised by the Commission. It isalleged by the Commission that these activities had the effect of hindering theentry of the generic version of LosecTM and of parallel trade. It is possiblethat third parties could seek damages for alleged losses arising from this. Anysuch claims would be vigorously resisted. NexiumTM (esomeprazole magnesium) In October 2005, AstraZeneca received a notice from Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc.that Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited has submitted an Abbreviated New DrugApplication to the US Food and Drug Administration for esomeprazole magnesiumdelayed-release capsules, 20mg and 40mg, containing paragraph IV certificationsof invalidity and/or non-infringement with respect to certain AstraZeneca USpatents listed in the FDA's Orange Book in reference to NexiumTM, the latter ofwhich expires in 2018. The 45 day time period within which AstraZeneca can commence a patentinfringement lawsuit against Ranbaxy that would automatically stay, or bar, theFDA from approving Ranbaxy's ANDA for 30 months (or until an adverse courtdecision, whichever occurs earlier) has not yet expired. Ranbaxy has also certified with respect to certain other AstraZeneca US patentslisted in the Orange Book in reference to NexiumTM that Ranbaxy will not launchits product prior to the expiry of those patents, the latter of which expires inOctober 2007. AstraZeneca is evaluating Ranbaxy's notice and continues to have full confidencein its intellectual property protecting NexiumTM. PulmicortTM RespulesTM (budesonide inhalation suspension) In September 2005, AstraZeneca received a notice from IVAX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.that IVAX has submitted an Abbreviated New Drug Application to the US Food andDrug Administration for a budesonide inhalation suspension containing aparagraph IV certification alleging invalidity and non-infringement in respectof certain of AstraZeneca's patents relating to budesonide inhalationsuspension. In October 2005, AstraZeneca filed a patent infringement action against IVAX inthe US District Court for the District of New Jersey. SeroquelTM (quetiapine fumarate) In September 2005, AstraZeneca received a notice from Teva Pharmaceuticals USAthat Teva has submitted an Abbreviated New Drug Application to the US Food andDrug Administration for quetiapine fumarate tablets (25mg base) containing aparagraph IV certification alleging invalidity and non-infringement in respectof AstraZeneca's US patent number 4,879,288. AstraZeneca's US patent number4,879,288 is listed in the FDA's Orange Book in reference to SeroquelTM. AstraZeneca is evaluating Teva's notice and continues to have full confidence inits intellectual property protecting SeroquelTM. The 45 day time period within which AstraZeneca can commence a patentinfringement lawsuit against Teva that would automatically stay, or bar, the FDAfrom approving Teva's ANDA for 30 months (or until an adverse court decision,whichever occurs earlier) has not yet expired. AstraZeneca has been served in the US with approximately 40 SeroquelTM cases inwhich plaintiffs have alleged that they developed diabetes, and in some casespancreatitis, as a result of taking SeroquelTM or other atypical anti-psychoticsmade by other pharmaceutical companies. Eli Lilly, the maker of olanzapine, isa defendant in all but four of these cases and Janssen Pharmaceutica is adefendant in more than a dozen of the matters. The vast majority of these casesrecently were filed in Missouri. All of the Missouri cases were filed a day ortwo before Missouri's tort reform laws became effective. AstraZeneca has beeninformed that other cases involving SeroquelTM were filed in Missouri but havenot yet been served. Only two of the pending SeroquelTM cases involvingdiabetes allegations have gone beyond the pleadings stage. AstraZeneca intendsvigorously to defend the claims in these actions. Toprol-XLTM (metoprolol succinate) As disclosed in the Annual Report and Form 20-F Information 2004, patentlitigation is continuing in the US against KV Pharmaceutical Company, AndrxPharmaceuticals LLC and Eon Labs Manufacturing Inc. relating to those companies'notifications of their intentions to market generic versions of Toprol-XLTMtablets prior to the expiration of AstraZeneca's relevant patents. All of thepatent litigation has been consolidated for pre-trial discovery purposes andmotion practice in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.As previously disclosed, in January 2005 AstraZeneca filed a terminal disclaimerof the Toprol-XLTM patents-in-suit over one of the other patents raised by thedefendants, which will result in a revision of the expiration date of theToprol-XLTM patents-in-suit from March 2008 to September 2007. Under theAbbreviated New Drug Application statute, the US Food and Drug Administrationmay not approve Andrx's product before June 2006 or Eon's product before August2006, unless there is an earlier adverse court decision. The 30 months' stay inrespect of KV's product has expired. The trial in the proceedings is scheduled to commence in February 2006 and willlikely consolidate the cases against KV, Andrx and Eon. Oral arguments on thepending summary judgement motions on the infringement and validity of thepatents, those motions having been filed by the defendants in December 2004, arescheduled for November 2005. In September 2005, AstraZeneca received a paragraph IV notification from KV ofits intention to market metoprolol succinate tablets in the 25mg dose prior tothe expiration of AstraZeneca's patents. AstraZeneca has filed a patentinfringement suit against KV in the US District Court for the Eastern Districtof Missouri. AstraZeneca maintains that its patents are valid, enforceable and infringed bythe KV, Andrx and Eon products. Average wholesale price class action litigation As disclosed in the Annual Report and Form 20-F Information 2004, AstraZenecawas named as a defendant along with 24 other pharmaceutical manufacturers in aclass action suit, in Massachusetts, brought on behalf of a putative class ofplaintiffs alleged to have overpaid for prescription drugs as a result ofinflated wholesale list prices. The suit seeks to recover unspecified damages.AstraZeneca was also named as a co-defendant with various other pharmaceuticalmanufacturers in similar suits filed in nine other states. Most of these suitswere consolidated with the Massachusetts action for pre-trial purposes, pursuantto federal multi-district litigation procedures. In August 2005, the District Court in Boston issued a decision on classcertification favourable to the defendants. The plaintiffs had sought tocertify three nationwide classes of plaintiffs: (1) Medicare Part Bbeneficiaries who paid allegedly inflated co-payments for certainphysician-administered (injectable) drugs reimbursed under the Medicare Part Bprogramme; (2) third-party payers offering MediGap coverage for the samephysician-administered drugs or otherwise reimbursed outside Medicare for thedrugs; and (3) payers for certain non-Part B (self-administered) drugs. The court denied the self-administered drug class entirely. As to the twoproposed classes involving physician-administered drugs, the court conditionallycertified a nationwide class of Part B beneficiaries, provided that theplaintiffs can amend the complaint to include as class representativesindividual Part B beneficiaries who actually paid Medicare co-payments for thenamed drugs. The second proposed physician-administered drug class, third-partypayers who reimbursed for physician-administered drugs or covered Part Bco-payments, was certified only as a Massachusetts state, as opposed to anationwide, class. In both classes, the only AstraZeneca drug at issue isZoladexTM (goserelin acetate implant). Drug importation anti-trust litigation As disclosed in the Annual Report and Form 20-F Information 2004 and Half YearResults 2005, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP and eight other pharmaceuticalmanufacturers have been defending a purported class action filed in the USDistrict Court for Minnesota which alleged that the defendants conspired toprevent American consumers from purchasing prescription drugs from Canada, "depriving consumers of the ability to purchase" drugs at competitive prices.Earlier in 2005, the chief magistrate judge assigned to the case issued a reporton the defendants' motion to dismiss the case, making certain recommendations tothe presiding district court judge. The report recommended dismissal of theplaintiffs' federal anti-trust claims, but not dismissal of the state statutoryand common law claims. In August 2005, the district court dismissed withprejudice the plaintiffs' federal anti-trust claims. As to the state statutoryand common law claims, the district court declined to exercise supplementaljurisdiction and dismissed them without prejudice. The plaintiffs have appealedthe district court's decision. In the similar California state courtproceedings, the trial is scheduled to commence in July 2006. Avorelin In 1999, AstraZeneca UK Limited entered into a licence agreement with Mediolanumfarmaceutici S.p.A. under which Mediolanum licensed to AstraZeneca certainrights in respect of avorelin, a luteinising hormone-releasing hormone agonist.At the end of 2000, AstraZeneca terminated the agreement. Mediolanum hascommenced proceedings against AstraZeneca alleging that AstraZeneca breached theterms of the agreement and claiming damages. AstraZeneca denies any breach ofthe agreement and is vigorously defending the proceedings. The trial in theproceedings is scheduled to commence in the English courts in February 2006. General With respect to each of the legal proceedings described above, we are unable tomake estimates of the loss or range of losses at this stage, other than wherenoted in the case of the European Commission fine. We also do not believe thatdisclosure of the amount sought by plaintiffs, if that is known, would bemeaningful with respect to those legal proceedings. Arrangements with Merck As described in more detail in the Annual Report and Form 20-F Information 2004,AstraZeneca has significant arrangements with Merck & Co., Inc. relating tocertain of our products and development compounds (the agreement products).These arrangements include exit provisions from 2008 onwards and we regularlymonitor the value of the benefits we expect to receive. The exit provisions are subject to a minimum overall net payment of $3.3 billionand will offer AstraZeneca unencumbered discretion in its operations in the USmarket (except in respect of PrilosecTM and NexiumTM) without the restrictionsof various contractual obligations that are currently imposed as a result ofMerck's interests, together with relief from contingent payment obligations.The projected value of the benefits obtained in 2008 depends on a number offactors including the future contributions from products that have already beenlaunched, those that are due to be launched in the US and those that are indevelopment together with the further value AstraZeneca can extract from greaterfreedom to operate in the US. 4 Nine MONTHS TERRITORIAL SALES ANALYSIS % Growth 9 Months 9 Months 2005 2004 Constant $m $m Actual Currency US 7,864 6,974 13 13 Canada 719 651 10 1 North America 8,583 7,625 13 12 France 1,265 1,208 5 1 UK 561 432 30 26 Germany 917 717 28 23 Italy 878 809 9 4 Sweden 232 222 5 1 Europe others 2,521 2,273 11 6 Total Europe 6,374 5,661 13 8 Japan 1,103 1,018 8 8 Rest of World 1,604 1,323 21 18Total 17,664 15,627 13 10 5 THIRD QUARTER TERRITORIAL SALES ANALYSIS % Growth 3rd Quarter 3rd Quarter 2005 2004 Constant $m $m Actual Currency US 2,621 2,407 9 9 Canada 231 202 14 2 North America 2,852 2,609 9 8 France 391 361 8 8 UK 181 151 20 22 Germany 296 250 18 18 Italy 269 266 1 1 Sweden 70 69 1 4 Europe others 805 761 6 5 Total Europe 2,012 1,858 8 8 Japan 367 352 4 6 Rest of World 558 446 25 18Total 5,789 5,265 10 9 6 NINE MONTHS PRODUCT SALES ANALYSIS World US 9 Months 9 Months Actual Constant 9 Months Actual 2005 2004 Growth Currency 2005 Growth $m $m % Growth $m % %Gastrointestinal: Losec 1,241 1,501 (17) (20) 191 (33)Nexium 3,386 2,777 22 20 2,276 18Others 51 64 (20) (23) 8 (64)Total Gastrointestinal 4,678 4,342 8 6 2,475 10Cardiovascular:Zestril 248 327 (24) (27) (4) (108)Seloken/Toprol-XL 1,280 1,006 27 26 945 33Atacand 727 639 14 10 179 (5)Plendil 287 361 (20) (22) 78 (44)Tenormin 262 271 (3) (6) 17 (35)Crestor 915 596 54 51 527 52Others 235 256 (8) (12) 3 (75)Total Cardiovascular 3,954 3,456 14 11 1,745 19Respiratory:Pulmicort 824 737 12 10 470 21Rhinocort 295 268 10 9 214 11Symbicort 742 578 28 22 - -Accolate 55 84 (35) (36) 35 (42)Oxis 69 76 (9) (14) - -Others 115 118 (3) (7) - -Total Respiratory 2,100 1,861 13 10 719 12Oncology:Zoladex 752 675 11 7 94 (20)Casodex 840 736 14 11 179 6Nolvadex 86 99 (13) (15) 3 50Arimidex 856 578 48 45 345 59Iressa 201 309 (35) (36) 49 (69)Faslodex 101 73 38 35 67 8Others 8 11 (27) (36) - -Total Oncology 2,844 2,481 15 12 737 1Neuroscience:Seroquel 2,006 1,465 37 35 1,450 33Zomig 258 267 (3) (6) 82 (27)Diprivan 281 374 (25) (27) 112 (44)Local anaesthetics 380 398 (5) (8) 48 (49)Others 50 54 (7) (11) 13 (13)Total Neuroscience 2,975 2,558 16 14 1,705 13Infection and Other:Merrem 375 310 21 16 61 13Other Products 262 207 27 26 154 71Total Infection and Other 637 517 23 20 215 49Aptium Oncology 247 226 9 9 247 9Astra Tech 229 186 23 19 21 62Total 17,664 15,627 13 10 7,864 13 7 THIRD QUARTER PRODUCT SALES ANALYSIS World US 3rd 3rd Constant 3rd Quarter Quarter Actual Currency Quarter Actual 2005 2004 Growth Growth 2005 Growth $m $m % % $m %Gastrointestinal:Losec 376 430 (13) (15) 59 (25)Nexium 1,127 951 19 18 762 17Others 15 26 (42) (46) 2 (82)Total Gastrointestinal 1,518 1,407 8 7 823 11Cardiovascular:Zestril 83 105 (21) (22) 1 (94)Seloken/Toprol-XL 437 353 24 23 334 31Atacand 238 214 11 9 57 (11)Plendil 82 102 (20) (22) 16 (53)Tenormin 87 93 (6) (7) 7 (36)Crestor 325 260 25 23 189 17Others 75 81 (7) (8) 1 (67)Total Cardiovascular 1,327 1,208 10 9 605 11Respiratory:Pulmicort 234 211 11 10 134 24Rhinocort 91 87 5 4 66 2Symbicort 240 185 30 28 - -Accolate 14 31 (55) (55) 8 (67)Oxis 23 25 (8) (12) - -Others 34 35 (3) (3) - -Total Respiratory 636 574 11 10 208 6Oncology:Zoladex 258 236 9 7 33 27Casodex 276 258 7 7 61 (2)Nolvadex 26 30 (13) (13) - (100)Arimidex 303 221 37 36 122 40Iressa 61 113 (46) (46) 12 (80)Faslodex 37 24 54 50 23 21Others 2 3 (33) (66) - -Total Oncology 963 885 9 8 251 -Neuroscience:Seroquel 706 529 33 32 517 30Zomig 86 81 6 5 27 (7)Diprivan 76 126 (40) (41) 26 (64)Local anaesthetics 118 128 (8) (10) 17 (50)Others 15 16 (6) (6) 3 (40)Total Neuroscience 1,001 880 14 13 590 9Infection and Other:Merrem 117 101 16 13 13 (28)Other Products 73 71 3 10 42 35Total Infection and Other 190 172 10 11 55 12Aptium Oncology 82 78 5 5 82 5Astra Tech 72 61 18 18 7 40Total 5,789 5,265 10 9 2,621 9 Shareholder Information ANNOUNCEMENTS AND MEETINGS Announcement of fourth quarter and full year 2005 results 2 February 2006Announcement of first quarter 2006 results 27 April 2006Annual General Meeting 2006 27 April 2006Announcement of second quarter and half year 2006 results 27 July 2006Announcement of third quarter and nine months 2006 26 October 2006results DIVIDENDS The record date for the first interim dividend paid on 19 September 2005 was 12August 2005. Ordinary Shares traded ex-dividend on the London and StockholmStock Exchanges from 10 August 2005. ADRs traded ex-dividend on the New YorkStock Exchange from the same date. The record date for the second interim dividend for 2005 payable on 20 March2006 (in the UK, Sweden and the US) will be 10 February 2006. Ordinary Shareswill trade ex-dividend on the London and Stockholm Stock Exchanges from 8February 2006. ADRs will trade ex-dividend on the New York Stock Exchange fromthe same date. Future dividends will normally be paid as follows:First interim Announced in July and paid in SeptemberSecond interim Announced in January/February and paid in March TRADEMARKS The following brand names used in this interim report are trademarks of theAstraZeneca group of companies: Accolate Arimidex Astra Tech Atacand Casodex Cerovive Crestor DiprivanExanta Faslodex Galida Iressa Losec Merrem Nexium Nolvadex Oxis Plendil Prilosec Pulmicort Pulmicort Respules RhinocortRhinocort Aqua Seloken Seroquel Symbicort Tenormin Toprol-XL ZactimaZestril Zoladex Zomig ADDRESSES FOR CORRESPONDENCE Registrar and Depositary Registered Office Swedish SecuritiesTransfer Office for ADRs Registration Centre The AstraZeneca Registrar JPMorgan Chase Bank 15 Stanhope Gate VPC ABLloyds TSB Registrars PO Box 43013 London PO Box 7822The Causeway Providence W1K 1LN SE-103 97 StockholmWorthing RI 02940-3013 UK SwedenWest Sussex USBN99 6DAUK Tel (toll free in US): Tel: +44 (0)20 7304 5000 Tel: +46 (0)8 402 9000Tel (freephone in UK): 888 697 80180800 389 1580 Tel (outside US):Tel (outside UK): +1 (781) 575 4328+44 (0)121 415 7033 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS In order to utilise the 'Safe Harbor' provisions of the United States PrivateSecurities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, AstraZeneca is providing the followingcautionary statement. These interim financial statements containforward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results ofoperations and businesses of AstraZeneca. By their nature, forward-lookingstatements and forecasts involve risk and uncertainty because they relate toevents and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are anumber of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differmaterially from that expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.These factors include, among other things, the loss or expiration of patents,marketing exclusivity or trade marks; exchange rate fluctuations; the risk thatR&D will not yield new products that achieve commercial success; the impact ofcompetition, price controls and price reductions; taxation risks; the risk ofsubstantial product liability claims; the impact of any failure by third partiesto supply materials or services; the risk of delay to new product launches; thedifficulties of obtaining and maintaining governmental approvals for products;and the risk of environmental liabilities. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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