MEDIMMUNE SUBMITS MARKETING AUTHORISATION APPLICATION IN EUROPEAN UNION FOR INTRANASAL VACCINE TO PREVENT SEASONAL INFLUENZA

MEDIMMUNE SUBMITS MARKETING AUTHORISATION APPLICATION IN EUROPEAN UNION FOR
INTRANASAL VACCINE TO PREVENT SEASONAL INFLUENZA 

MedImmune, the global biologics unit of AstraZeneca, announced today that it has
submitted a Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for its nasal spray live
attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), which is now being reviewed by the European
Medicines Agency (EMEA). The proposed indication in the MAA is for prevention of
seasonal influenza. 

The MAA submission for LAIV is based on data from 73 global clinical and U.S.
post-marketing studies of more than 141,000 subjects ranging in age from 7 weeks
to 97 years and conducted in 38 countries. Study objectives have included
clinical safety and tolerability, clinical efficacy and effectiveness, and
immunogenicity.  

“Influenza creates a heavy medical and economic burden on Europe and throughout
the world, and we are hopeful that the future availability and product
characteristics of this novel nasal spray influenza vaccine will contribute to
an increase in vaccination rates and reduce the spread of influenza around the
world,” said Alex Zukiwski, M.D., senior vice president, clinical affairs and
chief medical officer.  “MedImmune is pleased to submit this application for
approval of our nasal spray influenza vaccine in Europe.” 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About LAIV
Each dose of LAIV is formulated to contain three live attenuated influenza virus
strains, which are weakened as to not cause illness: Two Type A influenza
strains (A/H1N1 and A/H3N2) and one Type B strain. The vaccine strains are
selected annually by the World Health Organization (WHO) based on anticipated
circulating influenza strains for the upcoming season.  The vaccine is sprayed
into the nose, rather than by injection as with other licensed influenza
vaccines, where it induces protective immunity. 

In the U.S., LAIV is marketed under the trade name FluMist®  (Influenza Virus
Vaccine Live, Intranasal).  It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration in 2003.  The vaccine included in the MAA has not been registered
in the European Union and is not available outside of the United States.

About Influenza
Influenza is the most common vaccine-preventable disease in the developed world.
 According to WHO estimates, seasonal influenza results in three to five million
cases of severe illness and up to half a million deaths globally each year,
primarily among the elderly.  Rates of infection are highest among children,
with school-aged children significantly contributing to spread of disease to
their families, communities and high-risk individuals.  

Influenza also has socioeconomic consequences related to both direct and
indirect health care costs, including hospitalizations, work absence and loss of
work productivity when either a caregiver or child is sick with influenza.    

In the European Union (EU), current guidelines recommend annual influenza
vaccination for the elderly as well as those with underlying medical conditions
such as chronic heart or lung disease.  However, vaccination rates in the
recommended groups throughout Europe are estimated to be only 35 percent (Ryan,
Vaccine, August 2006). 

To date, six EU countries (Finland, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia and
Slovenia) recommend routinely vaccinating young children against influenza with
varying age limits.   EU and Member State  policymakers continue to evaluate
data on the impact of influenza in children to best inform the potential
expansion of recommendations.   

About MedImmune
MedImmune is a leading innovation-focused biotechnology company whose mission is
to provide better medicines to patients, new medical options for physicians and
rewarding careers to employees. Dedicated to advancing science and medicine to
help people live better lives, the company is focused on infection, oncology,
respiratory disease and inflammation, cardiovascular/gastrointestinal disease
and neuroscience. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, MedImmune has
approximately 3,000 employees worldwide and is the wholly owned biologics
business for AstraZeneca PLC (LSE: AZN.L, NYSE: AZN). For more information,
visit MedImmune's website at http://www.medimmune.com.

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

CONTACTS:

Media Enquiries:
Chris Sampson	+44 20 7304 5130  (24 hours)
Sarah Lindgreen	+44 20 7304 5033  (24 hours)	
Karen Lancaster	+1-301-398-5864 (MedImmune)

Investor Enquiries UK:
Jonathan Hunt	+44 207 304 5087	mob: +44 7775 704032
Karl Hard		+44 207 304 5322      mob: +44 7789 654364

Investor Enquiries US:
Ed Seage			+1 302 886 4065   	mob: +1 302 373 1361
Jorgen Winroth		+1 212 579 0506   	mob: +1 917 612 4043

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