AstraZeneca U.S. Among 41 Companies Recognized for Promoting Healthy Workplace WILMINGTON, Del., May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AstraZeneca was honored today by The National Business Group on Health, a national non-profit organization of 266 large employers, for its commitment and dedication to combating obesity and promoting a healthy lifestyle for its employees. AstraZeneca was among 41 employers who received the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles award at the Leadership Summit sponsored by the Business Group's Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity. AstraZeneca received a Gold Award for its AZLife campaign for healthier employee lifestyles. AZLife is aligned to a healthcare strategy of helping employees focus on prevention, quality and adherence. This is the second consecutive year AstraZeneca has received an award. "At AstraZeneca, patient and employee health go hand-in-hand. Our AZLife campaign recognizes that making a commitment to health and wellness is a very personal decision. Our company supports positive lifestyle choices through information and resources to help employees be well and thrive," said Dr. Joe Henry, Executive Director, U.S. Safety Health & Environment. Part of the strategy of AstraZeneca's wellness program is incentive-based. To that end, AstraZeneca created Get HIP!, a Health Incentive Program, to encourage and recognize employees who actively participate in achieving optimal health and wellness. "We are very pleased to honor AstraZeneca for their support and dedication to providing lifestyle improvement programs designed to reduce obesity and promote healthier lifestyles for their employees," said Helen Darling, President of the Business Group. "AstraZeneca is a true leader and knows the importance of supporting its employees' efforts to choose a healthier way of life." Now in its third year, the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards acknowledge and reward those employers that recognize the urgent need to improve their workers' health, productivity and quality of life. The underlying goal of the program is to serve as a catalyst to encourage all employers to take action. Winners of the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards were honored in one of three categories: Platinum, for established programs with measurable outcomes; Gold, for creating cultural and environmental changes that support employees who have made a commitment to long-term behavior changes; and Silver, for those employers who have launched significant programs or services to promote living a healthier lifestyle. About AstraZeneca 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 world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $26.47 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $12.44 billion healthcare business with more than 12,000 employees. For nearly three decades, AstraZeneca has offered drug assistance programs side by side with its medicines, and over the past five years, has provided over $3 billion in savings to more than 1 million patients throughout the US and Puerto Rico. AstraZeneca has been named one of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" by Working Mother magazine and is the only large pharmaceutical company named to FORTUNE magazine's 2007 list of "100 Best Companies to Work For." In 2006, for the fifth consecutive year, Science magazine named AstraZeneca a "Top Employer" on its ranking of the world's most respected biopharmaceutical employers. For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/ About the National Business Group on Health The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit, membership organization of large employers devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health care and related benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. For more information about the Business Group, visit http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/ DATASOURCE: AstraZeneca CONTACT: Liz Freeman, AstraZeneca, +1-302-885-3321 Web site: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/ http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/985887.html

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