Guaranteed new share issue with preferential rights

Guaranteed new share issue with preferential rights

•  A new share issue of 1,511 MSEK with preferential rights for the shareholders
of Meda
•  Each shareholder is offered to subscribe for one (1) new share for every six
(6) shares held at the record date

•  The subscription price is 35 SEK per share

•  Term of subscription runs between November 10 and November 24, 2008

•  The share issue is guaranteed in full through a subscription undertaking
issued by Stena Sessan Rederi AB and Stena Jutlandica AB and through a guarantee
commitment issued by Stena AB (publ). 


Background and rationale

With reference to Meda's acquisition of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International's
pharmaceutical business in Western and Eastern Europe, the acquisition of a
product portfolio from Roche and in order to establish preparedness for further
business opportunities, the board of directors of the company has decided,
subject to the approval of the extraordinary general meeting, upon a new issue
of shares with preferential rights for Meda's shareholders. The share issue will
generate 1,511 MSEK to the company (prior to transaction costs).


Share Issue Terms

The board of directors of Meda has decided to, subject to the approval of the
extra general meeting on October 31, 2008, implement a share issue with
preferential rights for the shareholders. The share issue will comprise a total
of a maximum of 43 177 580 shares. Six (6) existing shares at the record date
entitles to subscription of one (1) new share. Shares that have not been
subscribed pursuant to preferential rights will be offered to shareholders who
applied to subscribe for shares without preferential right. The subscription
price shall be 35.00 SEK per share. The subscription period runs between
November 10 to November 24, 2008. The share issue will, upon full subscription,
lead to an increase in the share capital of Meda to 302 243 065 SEK. Meda will
after the issue of shares have a maximum of 302 243 065 shares. 

Guarantee Commitment and Subscription Undertaking

The largest shareholder in Meda, Stena Sessan Rederi AB, who together with a
subsidiary represents 25.9 percent of the shares and votes in the Company, has
declared its support for the decision made by the board of directors and have
undertaken to vote in favour of the approval of the decision at the
extraordinary general meeting and in addition thereto to subscribe for, or see
to the subscription of, its entire preferential right in the share issue.
Further, Stena AB (publ) has, to the above stated subscription price, undertaken
to finally subscribe for shares that have not been subscribed and paid for by
the shareholders. The guarantee is issued on customary terms. 

Preliminary timetable for the share issue

Extra general meeting of the shareholders
October 31, 2008

The share is traded with right to participate in the new issue of shares
October 31,  2008	

The share is traded without right to participate in the new issue of shares
November 3, 2008	

The record date for participating in the issue of shares, i.e. the shareholders
that are registered as shareholders in the share register of Meda at that day
will obtain subscription rights in order to participate in the new issue of
shares. 
November 5, 2008	

The prospectus will be made public
Approx. November 5, 2008	

Trade with subscription rights
November 10 - November 19, 2008
Trade with paid and subscribed shares 
November 10, 2008 -  until the issue of shares has been registered with the
Swedish Companies Registration Office	

Subscription period for the new shares
November 10 - November 24, 2008	

For additional information, Meda is referring to the prospectus which will be
prepared for the share issue.  

Financial Advisors
Danske Markets is the financial advisor of Meda in connection with the issue of
shares.


For more information, please contact:
Anders Larnholt, Vice President Investor Relations, tel. +46 709 458 878

MEDA AB (publ) is a leading international specialty pharma company. The company
specialises in marketing and pharmaceutical development in late clinical stage.
Acquisitions and long-term partnerships are fundamental factors that drive the
company's strategy. Meda is represented by its own organisations in about 40
countries. Meda's products are sold in 120 countries worldwide. The Meda share
is listed under Large Cap on the OMX Nordic Stock Exchange. Find out more, visit
www.meda.se.

The publication or distribution of this press release may in certain
jurisdictions be subject to restrictions by law and persons in such
jurisdictions where this press release has been made public or distributed
should inform themselves about such restrictions and act accordingly.

This press release may not be announced, published or distributed, directly or
indirectly, to or in the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong,
Japan or in any other country where such measure wholly or partly is subject to
restrictions by law. The information in this press release may not be forwarded,
reproduced or shown in way that is in conflict with such restrictions. Failure
to comply with this instruction may constitute a violation of the United States
Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”) or applicable laws in other
jurisdictions. 

Nothing in this press release shall be deemed to constitute an invitation or an
offer to invest, subscribe or otherwise deal with shares, subscription right or
other securities in Meda. The invitation to relevant persons to subscribe for
shares in Meda will only be made in the prospectus which Meda is intending to
make public around November 5, 2008. The prospectus will inter alia contain
accounting records and information about the board directors and the auditor of
Meda. 

Neither the subscription rights, nor the paid and subscribed shares or the new
shares will be registered pursuant to the Securities Act or to any provincial
law in Canada and may not be transferred or offered for sale in the USA or
Canada, or to a person domiciled in such state or for such persons account other
in such cases, where registration is not required pursuant to the Securities Act
or any provincial law in Canada.

Meda is obliged to make this information public according the Financial Markets
Act and the Financial Instruments Trading Act (Sw: lagen om
värdepappersmarknaden and lagen om handel med finansiella instrument). The
information has been submitted for publication on October 14, 2008, at 8.00 am.