Highlights of Labeling Revisions
The revisions to the prescribing information for CRESTOR are based on 15
months of post-marketing surveillance and ongoing data analysis . The revised labeling includes dosing
instructions for this population. Patients should be advised to promptly report unexplained
muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, particularly if accompanied by malaise
or fever.7 billion, with Zoloft reaching almost $3 billion
in sales, an increase of 13 percent over 2002.

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CRESTOR is now approved in 70 countries, has been prescribed more than
18 million times for more than 4. When initiating statin therapy or switching from
another statin therapy, the appropriate CRESTOR starting dose should first be
utilized, and only then titrated according to the patient's individualized
goal of therapy.

pharmacokinetic swallowing

Following is
a summary of changes to the warnings , precautions, dosage and administration
sections of the label. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability
Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index., HealthPartners members who use
the cholesterol drugs Lipitor and Zocor or the antidepressants Zoloft, Lexapro
and Paxil, can cut their prescription bill in half through HealthPartners new
pill-splitting program.

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Important Safety Information
CRESTOR is contraindicated in patients with active liver disease or
unexplained persistent elevations of serum transaminases, in women who are
pregnant or may become pregnant, and in nursing mothers. "We continue to seek new ways to help ease the costs for the
members and pill splitting is just one way to keep costs in check, while not
compromising safety and efficacy."
In 2003, sales of Lipitor reached $10 billion, while sales of Zocor were
more than $5 billion.

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For patients with
hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia, the usual recommended starting
dose of CRESTOR is 10 mg. However, initiation of therapy with 5 mg once daily
should be considered for patients requiring less aggressive LDL-C reductions
or who have predisposing factors for myopathy, and for special populations
such as patients taking cyclosporine, Asian patients, and patients with severe
renal insufficiency. AstraZeneca licensed worldwide rights to CRESTOR from the
Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi + Co., Ltd.3%), constipation (1.
Members enrolled in the Half-Tablet program can save up to $120 each year
in co-pays for a particular product. Physicians and employees in 52
locations are dedicated to providing the best care -- patient centered care
that includes disease management and prevention, innovative inpatient and
outpatient services, hospice , pharmacy, health improvement, research and
medical education.

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The 40-mg dose of CRESTOR is reserved only for
those patients who have not achieved their LDL-C goal utilizing the 20 mg dose
of CRESTOR once daily. In addition, the employer and health
plan can save up to $500 each year on each prescription . We have more than 25,000 members who use
Lipitor and Zocor alone. During the same time, the antidepressant market had
sales of approximately $13.

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, AstraZeneca today
announced that the U.
The initial labeling for CRESTOR was approved by the FDA based on
pre-approval data from clinical trials.S.

About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) is a major international healthcare business
engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of
prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services.

New Pill Splitting Program Can Cut Patient Pharmacy Costs in Half

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,
semiannually) thereafter.com

"

HealthPartners
HealthPartners is the largest consumer governed non-profit health care
organization in the nation and is committed to improving the health of its
members, patients and the community.

pharmacokinetic cyto

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved revisions
to the prescribing information for its cholesterol-lowering medication,
CRESTOR(R) (rosuvastatin calcium), based on submissions made by AstraZeneca."
The basis for the agreed revisions to the prescribing labeling for
CRESTOR, which strengthen points contained in the original labeling, include
modifications to dosage instruction; recent clinical trial information
regarding special populations; and information regarding post-marketing safety
experience with the medicine, based upon information from clinical trial and
extensive post-marketing data. CRESTOR has not been determined to prevent
heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. The most frequent adverse events thought to
be related to CRESTOR were myalgia (3.

rxmed pdr

S., involving North-Americans of Asian descent . Combination therapy
with rosuvastatin and gemfibrozil should generally be avoided.
"Medication costs continue to increase and consumers and employers are
starting to share more of the burden, " said Rick Bruzek, Vice President,
Pharmacy.

prescriber pharmacist

S. It is a member of the statin (HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitors ) class of drug therapy.

requisite antidepressants

3 million patients and has been studied in
clinical trials of more than 46 ,000 patients.
The revised labeling includes data from a pharmacokinetic study recently
completed in the U. For patients with marked hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C
>190 mg/dL) and aggressive lipid targets, a 20-mg starting dose may be
considered. CRESTOR is generally well-tolerated. Founded in 1957, HealthPartners
( http://www.

This section includes an alphabetical index to information about specific drugs, medications, and herbal health products.

compromised antihypertensives

"
Patient safety is the top priority for AstraZeneca. The
results of this study showed higher drug exposure in this specific population
relative to Caucasians.3%) and nausea (1. "Members who use programs like the Half-
Tablet program can cut their costs significantly.

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The Company is committed to providing the most up-to-date information about
the appropriate use of CRESTOR, and will proactively communicate these
revisions to healthcare professionals. We continue to believe that CRESTOR is safe
and effective when used according to the prescribing information. AstraZeneca will
continue to evaluate CRESTOR through clinical trials and ongoing
post-marketing surveillance and will continue to provide the FDA with
complete, up -to-date information about the safety of CRESTOR. The 40mg dose of CRESTOR comprises 4 percent of total sales for
CRESTOR in the U.6 billion healthcare business with more
than 12,000 employees. For more information about
AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www. The HealthPartners Half-Tablet program is the first
pill-splitting program in Minnesota and expects to have approximate yearly
savings , between member and health plan, of $540 per prescription. Members who use mail
order save even more, receiving a 90 day supply for the cost of one co-pay.com ) provides care and coverage to 635,000
members across Minnesota through a broad network of physicians and hospitals,
including HealthPartners Clinics.

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"The revisions that the
FDA has approved provide physicians with further clarification on how best to
use CRESTOR with their patients.
"CRESTOR is highly effective at helping patients to reduce their elevated
cholesterol levels, along with diet," said James Blasetto, MD, Executive
Director, Strategic Development, CRESTOR.healthpartners.

compromised seachable

WILMINGTON, Del. New information has been added to the
labeling to reflect clinical and post-marketing adverse experiences seen in
the 15 months following the approval of CRESTOR. The findings from this study are consistent with
information included in the original labeling for CRESTOR that was based on a
study done outside of the U.

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4% ), asthenia
(1.3%), abdominal pain (1.

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In addition, as with other statins, reports of
rhabdomyolysis with CRESTOR are rare, but higher at the highest marketed dose
(40mg).3%). Paxil was second in sales with
$2.

psychoactive compromised

"AstraZeneca is committed to
ensuring appropriate usage of CRESTOR, and we are pleased that this labeling
revision will help us do just that. The benefit of further alterations in lipid levels by the
combined use of rosuvastatin with fibrates or niacin should be carefully
weighed against the potential risks of this combination. CRESTOR should
be prescribed with caution in patients with predisposing factors for myopathy,
such as renal impairment, advanced age, and inadequately treated
hypothyroidism. It is one
of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of over
$21.
Those who take advantage of the voluntary program simply have their pill
dosage doubled, allowing the member to cut the pills in half and spread them
over a two month period.

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In the
United States, AstraZeneca is a $9. HealthPartners commercial and Medicare
Advantage plans have received the highest rating of "Excellent" from the
National Committee for Quality Assurance .

seachable formulary

Consistent with other drug
labeling in the statin class, irrespective of causality, jaundice has been
added as a very rare event.g.4 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal,
cardiovascular , respiratory, oncology and neuroscience products. Program includes cholesterol and anti-depressant medications

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.

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Initial instructions regarding usage of the 40 mg dose were made more
explicit by strongly instructing that physicians reserve the 40 mg dose only
for those patients who have not achieved their LDL-C or "bad" cholesterol goal
utilizing the 20 mg dose of CRESTOR.

About CRESTOR
CRESTOR (rosuvastatin calcium) is a once-daily prescription medication for
use as an adjunct to diet in the treatment of various lipid disorders
including primary hypercholesterolemia, mixed dyslipidemia and isolated
hypertriglyceridemia. It is recommended
that liver function tests be performed before and at 12 weeks following both
the initiation of therapy and any elevation of dose, and periodically (e. By entering these members into the program , there is
significant savings potential.3 billion in sales.

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"Post-marketing data for CRESTOR has been thoroughly reviewed over the
past year and this labeling revision is the result of that analysis," said
David Brennan, President and CEO, AstraZeneca U.S.S.astrazeneca-us. Recent research by Stanford University shows pill-
splitting offers significant cost savings without compromising drug
effectiveness or safety.

antidepressants healthtouch

Labeling Revision for CRESTOR(R) Approved By FDA

Rare cases of rhabdomyolysis with acute renal
failure secondary to myoglobinuria have been reported with CRESTOR and with
other drugs in this class. Adverse reactions have
usually been mild and transient.
"These drugs, while effective, are expensive drugs and will continue to be
used more and more ," said Bruzek.

altruis inflammatories

stimulants antihypertensives