Litigation Announcement

AstraZeneca PLC
31 October 2001



ASTRAZENECA WINS GENERIC OMEPRAZOLE CASE IN NORWAY


AstraZeneca today announced that the Oslo Byrett (Oslo City Court) in Norway
found that a generic omeprazole product marketed by Scandinavian
Pharmaceuticals-Generics AB (Scand Pharm) infringes AstraZeneca's formulation
patent for omeprazole, the substance used in Losec.  At the same time, the
Court declared AstraZeneca's omeprazole formulation patent valid.


The written judgement followed a hearing, which ended on October 9.


Previously AstraZeneca had been granted a preliminary injunction in May last
year (2000) against Scand Pharm to prevent the sale of its generic version of
omeprazole.  Scand Pharm had launched its version of omeprazole in Norway in
December 1999.


Sales of Losec MUPs(R) in Norway account for less than 0.5 per cent of
AstraZeneca's worldwide Losec sales.  Losec is a treatment for stomach acid
disorders.



Dr Martin Nicklasson, Executive Vice President, GI Franchise of AstraZeneca
said 'We are delighted by today's judgement in our favour, as it underscores
the strength of our intellectual property and the validity of our formulation
patent for Losec.'



Media Relations:

Emily Denney, Tel:  [phone]

Investor Relations:

Mina Blair-Robinson, Tel:  [phone]

Jorgen Winroth, Tel: [phone]




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