Dr Tom McKillop, Chief Executive of AstraZeneca said, "This is a superb achievement. The high level of acceptances further endorses the overwhelming support for the Merger and the creation of AstraZeneca as a real force in world pharmaceuticals.”

By 3.00 pm (Stockholm time) on 23 April 1999, further valid acceptances of the Merger Offers had been received in respect of 41,371,970 Astra A Shares and 12,547,967 Astra B Shares, representing 3.3 per cent of the total number of Astra Shares and 3.1 per cent of the total voting rights attaching to Astra Shares. When added to the acceptances received by 30th March 1999, the total number of acceptances received in respect of the Merger Offers is 1,330,875,333 Astra A Shares and 303,192,214 Astra B Shares. A total 27,202,608 new AstraZeneca shares will be issued to those Astra Shareholders who have accepted the Merger Offers by 23 April 1999. 2,849,577 of such new AstraZeneca Shares will be deposited into the AstraZeneca ADR program for issuance of 2,849,577 new AstraZeneca American Depositary Shares. The total number of issued AstraZeneca Shares after the new issue will be 1,777,695,910.

To facilitate further acceptances under the Merger Offers, AstraZeneca announces that there will be another, final, subsequent offer period until 3.00 pm (Stockholm time) (9.00 am New York time) on Friday 21 May 1999. Shareholders who tender during such subsequent offer period will have withdrawal rights.