New studies confirm superiority of Crestor compared to atorvastatin in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia

NEW STUDIES CONFIRM SUPERIORITY OF CRESTORTM COMPARED TO ATORVASTATIN IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES AND DYSLIPIDAEMIA New data released at the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Congress in Seville show that CRESTORTM (rosuvastatin) significantly reduces LDL- cholesterol (LDL-C or 'bad' cholesterol) in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia (high cholesterol) more than atorvastatin. The three studies presented at EAS investigated the benefits of CRESTOR compared to atorvastatin in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia. They included CORALL, an 18-week forced-titration study conducted in The Netherlands comparing CRESTOR 10-40mg with atorvastatin 20-80mg in 263 patients; ANDROMEDA, a 16-week UK study in 509 patients comparing CRESTOR 10-20mg with atorvastatin 10-20mg; and URANUS, a 16- week Swedish study in 469 patients comparing CRESTOR 10-40mg with atorvastatin 10-80mg. Together the three studies confirm that in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia, CRESTOR improves the atherogenic lipid profile more favourably than atorvastatin and enables more patients to achieve European LDL-C goals. Results from the CORALL study demonstrated that for each dose of CRESTOR, LDL-C was reduced significantly more than with double the dose of atorvastatin; LDL-C was reduced by 46 per cent, 51 per cent and 54 per cent with CRESTOR 10mg, 20mg and 40mg respectively compared to 41 per cent, 46 per cent and 48 per cent with atorvastatin 20mg, 40mg and 80mg, respectively (all p<0.05). The superiority of CRESTOR was also confirmed at 18 weeks when 90 per cent of patients on CRESTOR 40mg achieved their LDL-C goal new European LDL-C goal (<2.5mmol/L) compared to 78 per cent on atorvastatin 80mg (p<0.05). The ANDROMEDA study showed that low doses of CRESTOR reduced LDL-C by at least 50 per cent and got more than 90 per cent of patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia to the new European LDL-C goal (<2.5 mmol/L). Also in this study, CRESTOR 10mg and 20mg reduced LDL-C by 51 per cent and 57 per cent, respectively, significantly more than with atorvastatin 10mg and 20mg (39 per cent and 46 per cent, p<0.001 respectively) and as a result, significantly more patients treated with CRESTOR 10 and 20mg (94 per cent and 96 per cent respectively) achieved their LDL-C goal than those treated with atorvastatin 10 and 20mg (79 per cent, p<0.001 and 87 per cent, p=0.002 respectively). The benefits of CRESTOR on additional cardiovascular risk factors including the inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP), and other atherogenic lipid parameters were also reported. High levels of CRP are a strong predictor of cardiovascular events. CRESTOR 10mg and 20mg reduced CRP by 34 per cent and 40 per cent respectively, compared with 21 per cent and 34 per cent for atorvastatin 10mg and 20mg, respectively. In patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia, CRESTOR also improved other lipid parameters such as triglyceride levels, non-HDL-C and the ApoB/ApoA-I ratio. Millions of people with type 2 diabetes are three times more likely to die from a cardiovascular event than non-diabetics with the same cholesterol level and up to 80 per cent die of cardiovascular disease. Reducing high levels of LDL-C is recognised as one of the primary treatment targets for type 2 diabetics and lowering LDL-C with statin treatment has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing cardiovascular events in these patients. These latest results show that CRESTOR offers an important and highly effective treatment option for patients with type 2 diabetes, bringing their LDL-cholesterol down to the recommended levels. CRESTOR has now received regulatory approvals in more than 50 countries across five continents and has been launched in over 40 countries worldwide, including 13 European markets, the US and Canada. Over one million patients have been prescribed CRESTOR and more than two million prescriptions have been written worldwide. The post-marketing experience supports the favourable benefit:risk profile of CRESTOR and confirms that the safety profile is comparable to other currently marketed statins. CRESTOR 10mg is the usual recommended start dose for patients new to statin treatment and also for those switching to CRESTOR from other statins regardless of prior dose. 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 $18.8 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, oncology, cardiovascular, neuroscience and respiratory products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global and European) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. For further information please visit: www.AstraZenecaPressOffice.com or contact: Media Enquiries Staffan Ternby, 08-553 261 07 Steve Brown, +44 207 304 5033 Edel McCaffrey, +44 207 304 5034 Investor Enquiries: Staffan Ternby, 08-553 261 07 Mina Blair-Robinson, +44 207 304 5084 Jonathan Hunt, +44 207 304 5087 Notes to Editors: AstraZeneca has more than 40 years experience in cardiovascular medicine and aims to increase lifespan and improve quality of life by reducing the risk, prevalence and impact of cardiovascular disease. AstraZeneca has a comprehensive cardiovascular portfolio including CRESTORTM, ATACANDTM, ZESTRILTM, TENORMINTM, SELOKEN ZOK /TOPROL-XLTM and PLENDILTM. This heritage is complemented by an innovative pipeline including the first oral direct thrombin inhibitor, EXANTATM, and a novel treatment for type 2 diabetes / metabolic syndrome, GALIDATM. CORALL = COmpare the effect of Rosuvastatin with Atorvastatin on Apo B/Apo A-1 ratio in patients with Type 2 diabetes meLLitus and dyslipidaemia ANDROMEDA = A raNdomised, Double blind, double dummy, multicentre phase IIIb parallel group study to compare the efficacy and safety of Rosuvastatin (10 mg and 20 mg) and atOrvastatin (10 Mg and 20 mg) in subjEcts with type II DiAbetes mellitus URANUS = Use of Rousuvastatin versus Atrovastatin iN type 2 diabetes mellitUS subjects: results of the URANUS study ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/04/19/20040419BIT00300/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/04/19/20040419BIT00300/wkr0002.pdf