AstraZeneca today announced that the Federal Court of Australia has found three patents protecting CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) to be invalid. These patents – a formulation patent (AU 200051842, with an expiry date in 2020); a second related to the use of rosuvastatin for treating heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (AU 2002214165, with an expiry date in 2021); and a third related to the use of rosuvastatin for treating hypercholesterolemia (AU 2000023051, with an expiry date in 2020) – were challenged by Apotex Pty Ltd, Watson Pharma Pty Ltd and Ascent Pharma Pty Ltd. The Federal Court decision is limited to Australia and has no impact on the validity of patents related to CRESTOR in other countries nor does it have any impact on AstraZeneca’s financial guidance for 2013, which will, in accordance with normal practice, be reviewed in conjunction with the announcement of First Quarter Financial Results on 25 April 2013. Total sales of CRESTOR in Australia for 2012 were approximately $350 million. AstraZeneca is disappointed in the court’s decision to find these patents invalid. The company remains committed to defending its intellectual property protecting CRESTOR in Australia and is carefully reviewing this decision and evaluating all legal options at this time, which could include filing an appeal and seeking to maintain existing preliminary injunctions. Media Enquires Sweden Jacob Lund 072 560 21 57 Media Enquiries UK Esra Erkal-Paler +44 20 7604 8030 Vanessa Rhodes +44 20 7604 8037 Ayesha Bharmal +44 20 7604 8034 Media Enquiries Australia Zoe Tanner +61 2 9856 8390 Investor Enquiries James Ward-Lilley +44 20 7604 8122 mob: +44 7785 432613 Karl Hård +44 20 7604 8123 mob: +44 7789 654364 Nicklas Westerholm +44 20 7604 8124 mob: +44 7585 404950 Colleen Proctor + 1 302 886 1842 mob: +1 302 357 4882 Ed Seage + 1 302 886 4065 mob: +1 302 373 1361
Australia Federal court holds CRESTOR patents invalid
| Source: AstraZeneca PLC