AstraZeneca announced that the US District Court for the District of New Jersey has granted the company's Motion for Summary Judgment of No Inequitable Conduct. AstraZeneca had sued Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Sandoz, Inc. alleging infringement of AstraZeneca's patent as a result of Teva's and Sandoz's filings of Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). The ANDAs sought approval to market generic versions of SEROQUEL (quetiapine fumarate) tablets in the US before SEROQUEL's patent expires in 2011. Since the Court granted AstraZeneca's motion for Summary Judgment of No Inequitable Conduct in its entirety, trial is unnecessary.

"We are pleased with the Court's decision to uphold our valid intellectual property. SEROQUEL remains an important part of our company's portfolio benefiting patients and physicians throughout the world," said David Brennan, CEO of AstraZeneca.

AstraZeneca's Motion for Summary Judgment of No Inequitable Conduct sought judgment on all of the remaining liability issues in the case. Teva and Sandoz had already conceded infringement and the validity of AstraZeneca's patent. Thus, only the inequitable conduct contentions remained to be resolved. The Court had previously set a date for trial beginning on 11 August, 2008.

About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of meaningful prescription medicines and supplier for healthcare services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $29.55 billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infectious disease medicines. For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: www.astrazeneca.com.