The investment provides bulk drug for worldwide supply of rosuvastatin, the active ingredient in CRESTOR®, a new once-daily treatment for dyslipidaemia, a key risk factor in the development of coronary disease. Dyslipidaemia is where lipid (blood fat) levels are abnormal.

The new facilities house processes for synthesis, purification, drying and milling, and there are additional quality assurance and warehousing units.

Dr Mogren said: “These facilities for world supplies of bulk drug for CRESTOR have been built using innovative, fast-tracked strategies in order to help bring this potential megabrand to patients and healthcare professionals.

“We are very proud that cross-functional teams have worked together to design, build, commission and operate these new plants against a challenging timescale. They are vital components in AstraZeneca’s extensive international launch programme for CRESTOR.”

The facilities effectively comprise two major new plants and associated infrastructure. The first of the plants opened by Dr Mogren has been operational for some time during the clinical development and early launch phase for CRESTOR and the second, more recent plant has been brought into operation to support the rapid growth of the product following approvals in various countries.

The latest technology has been used throughout, with state of the art equipment ensuring the best possible manufacturing and environmental standards.

Avlon Works has grown over recent years and over 400 people are employed in manufacturing operations at the site. This growth is in line with AstraZeneca’s increased demands on manufacturing and it also reflects the anticipated growth in demand as a result of introducing CRESTOR to markets worldwide.

The excellent efficacy of CRESTOR, together with a safety profile which AstraZeneca believes is comparable to existing statins, positions the new treatment as a highly effective competitor in the global statin market, estimated to be worth more than $19 billion and growing at a rate of about 11 per cent annually.

CRESTOR was first approved in the Netherlands last year and subsequently completed the European Mutual Recognition Procedure in a further 13 countries in March 2003. CRESTOR has also been approved in several other countries and has been launched in Canada, the Netherlands and in the UK.

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the top five pharmaceutical companies in the world with healthcare sales of over $17.8 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, oncology, anaesthesia (including pain management), cardiovascular, central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global and European) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.