Pharmaceutical company intelligence reports from Espicom provide a full review of the company's activities together with five-year sales forecasts for its key products. The company's financial performance is covered in-depth, from its latest results to a complete analysis of its latest full fiscal year and an outlook for the future. A section on company strategy covers mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, key agreements, products and R&D. An overview of key products and R&D is followed by a comprehensive review of the company's product portfolio and research and development pipeline by therapeutic area. In addition, supplementary appendices provide more in-depth information on financials, agreements and corporate events. On 6th April 1999, AstraZeneca was formed through the merger of Astra AB of Sweden and Zeneca Group PLC of the UK, propelling the company to second in the world in terms of pharmaceutical sales. Since the merger, AstraZeneca has maintained its position as one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies having never left the top five companies in terms of pharmaceutical sales. Corporate headquarters are now based in London, UK; whilst R&D headquarters are in Sodertalje, Sweden.

Over the last few years, non-core businesses have been spun off and the pharmaceutical business now accounts for 100 per cent of AstraZeneca's total sales. AstraZeneca continues to have operations through Astra Tech (medical equipment) and Salick Health Care (helthcare sevices) and through the non-core joint venture, Advanta.

AstraZeneca focuses on a number of therapeutic areas: gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiovascular, pain control/anaesthesia, central nervous system, oncology and infection. The company spends almost US$3.4 billion annually on R&D, has sales in over 100 countries and employs over 65,00 people worldwide.

AstraZeneca has earmarked biotechnology as an increasingly important component of the pharmaceutical industry. Anticipating rising usage of biologic products, AstraZeneca has made bold moves to establish itself as a major player in this field. The acquisitions of Cambridge Antibody Technology and KuDOS cost the company in excess of US$1.5 billion, and will provide AstraZeneca with the tools and products to advance its reputation in the development and marketing of biologic therapies.

This new strategic analysis report AstraZeneca: Performance, Products, Pipeline and Potential, provides a complete and critical review of the company and includes unique and independent assessments and forecasts of key products. The report is updated on a quarterly basis. Buyers of the web edition receive quarterly reports for a year. Buyers of the print/pdf editions receive the latest version. All formats are the same price.