Prilosec US Patent Cases

ASTRAZENECA PLC
23 August 1999


   ASTRAZENECA GRANTED COORDINATION OF 'PRILOSEC' US PATENT CASES


AstraZeneca today announced that the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict
Litigation has ordered that all pending patent infringement cases in
the United States relating to omeprazole should be coordinated for
pretrial proceedings in the District Court of Southern District of
New York.

AstraZeneca filed its motion before the Panel in May 1999,
requesting coordination of the pretrial proceedings of the patent
actions in New York.

There are presently patent infringement cases pending against Andrx
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Genpharm, Inc., Kremers Urban Development
Co/Schwarz Pharma, Inc., and Cheminor Drugs, Ltd./Reddy-Cheminor,
Inc. The lawsuits were filed in Florida, New York, Wisconsin and New
Jersey respectively. The lawsuits are the results of Abbreviated New
Drug Applications (ANDAs) filed by the four companies with the FDA
concerning their intent to market a generic omeprazole product in
the US.

Omeprazole is marketed in the US under the brand Prilosec and is
marketed internationally as 'Losec'.

Further enquiries to :
                                  
Michael Olsson,      tel [phone]
Elizabeth Sutton,    tel [phone]
Jorgen Winroth,      tel [phone]