6th Sep 2007 07:02
AstraZeneca PLC06 September 2007 6 September 2007 AstraZeneca launches and prices a $6.9 billion bond issue AstraZeneca PLC, rated A1 (stable) by Moody's and AA- (stable) by Standard &Poor's, yesterday announced a successful global bond market transaction issuinga total of $6.9 billion. The proceeds of the issue will be used to repay asignificant portion of the outstanding US commercial paper taken on inconnection with the acquisition of MedImmune. The transaction is an SEC registered global offering consisting of the followingtranches: $650 million of 2-year floating rate notes with a coupon of 3m$Libor+30bps $1,750 million of 5-year fixed rate notes with a coupon of 5.40% $1,750 million of 10-year fixed rate notes with a coupon of 5.90% $2,750 million of 30-year fixed rate notes with a coupon of 6.45% "This transaction represents part of our refinancing of the acquisition ofMedImmune Inc and enables us to enhance our financial flexibility bydiversifying our sources of funding. We are delighted by the investor receptionfor AstraZeneca in the bond markets" said David Brennan, Chief Executive Officerof AstraZeneca. The bonds will be issued under an automatic shelf registration statement on FormF-3, which AstraZeneca PLC filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission(the "SEC") on August 31, 2007. Such registration statement provides for theoffer and sale from time to time of an indeterminate amount of AstraZeneca PLC'sdebt securities. In addition, on 31 August 2007, AstraZeneca PLC also furnishedto the SEC a report on Form 6-K, which included its interim consolidated resultsfor the six month period ended 30 June 2007 as well as certain pro formafinancial information relating to the MedImmune acquisition and which report,among others, is incorporated by reference into such registration statement. About AstraZenecaAstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in theresearch, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticalsand the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world's leadingbio-pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $26.47 billion and leadingpositions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience,respiratory, oncology and infection products. AstraZeneca is listed in the DowJones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. Media Enquiries:Edel McCaffrey, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5034Steve Brown, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5033 Investor Relations:Mina Blair, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5084Jonathan Hunt, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5087Karl Hard, Tel: +44 (0) 207 304 5322Jorgen Winroth, Tel: +1 (212) 579 0506Ed Seage, Tel: +1 302 886 4065Pete Vozzo, (MedImmune) Tel: + 1 301-398-4358 To obtain a copy of the related prospectus, please contact the Office of theGroup Secretary and Solicitor: 15 Stanhope Gate,London W1K 1LN +44 (0) 207 304 5112. This press release contains forward-looking statements, in the first and thirdparagraphs. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties thatcould cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. Werefer you to AstraZeneca's publicly available filings with the SEC forinformation about these and other risks and uncertainties. AstraZeneca assumesno obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results,changed assumptions or other factors. This release does not constitute, or formpart of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of anyoffer, to purchase or subscribe for any ordinary shares in, or securities of,AstraZeneca PLC, nor shall it form the basis of, or be relied on in connectionwith any contract therefore. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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