We are a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business.
We focus on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease.
Our innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
Our locations
We operate in over 100 countries with a growing presence in emerging markets including China, Mexico, Brazil and Russia. Our head office is located in London, United Kingdom.
Our board
Louis Schweitzer is our Board Chair. He was appointed to this position on 11 March 2004.
Our management
Our Chief Executive Officer is David Brennan. He was appointed to this position on 1 January 2006.
Other members of our Senior Executive Team are:
- Simon Lowth, Chief Financial Officer
- Martin Mackay, President, R&D
- Tony Zook, Executive Vice President, Global Commercial
- David Smith, Executive Vice-President, Global Operations & IS
- Lynn Tetrault, Executive Vice-President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs
- Jeff Pott, General Counsel
- Katarina Ageborg, Chief Compliance Officer
View our Senior Executive Team’s biographies
Our employees
We employ over 57,200 people worldwide. This includes 8,700 people in the UK, 19,200 in Continental Europe, 18,000 in The Americas, and 13,900 in Africa, Asia and Australasia.
About 11,300 work in our R & D organisation, we have 14 principal R&D centres in eight countries, and 9,600 employees work at our Supply & Manufacturing sites in 16 countries.
Our key products
| In 2011, our top 10 medicines by sales were: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Atacand $1,450m (-6%)(2010: $1,483m; 2009: $1,436m) for hypertension and heart failure |
Crestor $6,622m (+13%)(2010: $5,691m; 2009: $4,502m) for managing cholesterol levels |
Nexium $4,429m (-12%)(2010: $4,969m; 2009: $4,959m) for acid reflux |
Losec/Prilosec $946m (+11%)(2010: $986m; 2009: $946m) for the treatment of acid related diseases |
|
Seloken/Toprol-XL $986m (-20%)(2010: $1,210m; 2009: $1,443m) for hypertension, heart failure and angina |
Seroquel IR $4,338m (+3%)(2010: $4,148m; 2009: $4,171m) for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder |
Seroquel XR $1,490m (+27%)(2010: $1,154m; 2009: $695m) for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder |
Symbicort $3,148m (+20%)(2010: $2,746m; 2009: $2,294m) for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
|
Synagis $975m (-6%)(2010: $1,038m; 2009: $1,082m) for for RSV, a respiratory infection in infants |
Zoladex $1,179m (+3%)(2010: $1,115m; 2009: $1,086m) for prostate and breast cancer |
A-Z list of products |
|
Our pipeline
We have: 86 pipeline projects of which 79 are in the clinical phase of development and a further seven are approved or launched. 9 projects in late stage of clinical development, either in Phase III or under regulatory review. 18 out of 33 projects in phase II, III or under regulatory review sourced externally.
We continue to prioritise our resources and focus discovery activities on those diseases within our existing therapy areas where we believe there is the greatest potential to meet patient need through the application of novel science. This continual process of prioritisation is designed to ensure that the projects we have in our pipeline constitute the programmes which we believe are most likely to deliver technical and commercial success.
Research and Development
In 2011 we made a core investment of $5 billion on R&D.
At the end of 2011, our R&D organisation comprised approximately 11,300 people at 14 principal centres in eight countries.
Our R&D organisation continues to evolve to meet the challenges facing our industry by investing in high quality science and harnessing the innovation of our people. We are continuously improving our understanding of mechanisms and targets that will become the foundation for developing and delivering tomorrow’s new medicines. These efforts are undertaken with the highest ethical standards, as we are committed to delivering innovative medicines responsibly.
Our key financials
| $m 2011 | $m 2010 | $m 2009 | $m 2008 | $m 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 33,591 | 33,269 | 32,804 | 31,601 | 29,559 |
| Core * | |||||
| Operating profit | 13,167 | 13,603 | 13,621 | 10,958 | 9,411 |
| Profit before tax | 12,739 | 13,086 | 12,885 | 10,495 | 9,300 |
| Earnings per share | $7.28 | $6.71 | $6.32 | $5.10 | $4.38 |
| Reported | |||||
| Operating profit | 12,795 | 11,494 | 11,543 | 9,144 | 8,094 |
| Profit before tax | 12,367 | 10,977 | 10,807 | 8,681 | 7,983 |
| Earnings per share | $7.33 | $5.60 | $5.19 | $4.20 | $3.74 |
| Net cash inflow from operating activities | 7,821 | 10,680 | 11,739 | 8,742 | 7,510 |
| Dividends paid | (3,764) | (3,361) | (2,977) | (2,739) | (2,641) |
| Cash returned to shareholders | 9,693 | 6,221 | 3,339 | 3,581 | 6,910 |
* Core financial measures are supplemental non-GAAP measures which management believe enhance understanding of the Company’s performance.
Our shares
AstraZeneca is traded on the London, New York and Stockholm Stock Exchanges. The symbol is AZN in all three markets.
Our largest shareholders are BlackRock, Inc; Invesco Limited; Axa SA; Investor AB; and Legal and General Investment Management Limited.
This information is current as at 26 March 2012.