Toprol XL

AstraZeneca PLC
16 February 2006



   AstraZeneca Files Notice Of Appeal For Patent Infringement On Toprol-XL(R)



AstraZeneca announced today that is has filed a Notice with the US District
Court for the Eastern District of Missouri of its appeal to the Court of Appeals
for the Federal Circuit of the January 17, 2006 decision by Judge Rodney Sippel
declaring US compound patent Number 5,081,154 and composition patent Number
5,001,161 covering TOPROL XL (metoprolol succinate) extended release tablets
invalid and unenforceable.



The Company maintains that both patents, which are due to expire on September
17th 2007, are valid and enforceable.



16 February 2006



Media Enquiries:
Edel McCaffrey, Tel: [phone]
Steve Brown, Tel: [phone]


Investor Enquiries:
Mina Blair, Tel: [phone]
Jonathan Hunt, Tel:  [phone]
Ed Seage, Tel: [phone]
Jorgen Winroth, Tel + 1 212 579 0506


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