Close of AstraZeneca merger offers

CLOSE OF ASTRAZENECA MERGER OFFERS - ACCEPTANCES RECEIVED FROM SHAREHOLDERS REPRESENTING OVER 99.6% OF THE SHARES IN ASTRA st AstraZeneca announces that by 21 May 1999, the closing date of the Merger Offers, it has received acceptances from Astra shareholders representing in total 99.6 per cent of Astra's shares and 99.7 per cent of the voting rights attaching to Astra's shares. 1,545,714 new AstraZeneca shares will be issued to those Astra shareholders who have accepted the Merger Offers by 21 May 1999. As previously announced, the compulsory acquisition procedure has been initiated to acquire for cash the outstanding shares held by Astra shareholders. Further Enquiries: Media: Mikael Widell, tel +46 8 553 264 28 Steve Brown, tel +44 171 304 5033 +46 70 311 99 60 Rachel Bloom, tel +1 302 886 7858 Investor Relations: Michael Olsson, tel +46 8 553 259 52 Elizabeth Sutton, tel +44 171 304 5101 Jörgen Winroth, tel +1 609 896 4148 Ed Seage, tel +1 302 886 4065 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/28/19990528BIT00090/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/28/19990528BIT00090/bit0002.pdf