AstraZeneca has been awarded the Indian Manufacturing Excellence Award (Platinum) 2006 in the healthcare category by Frost & Sullivan.

The India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA) has been instituted to recognize the efforts of companies to set-up world class manufacturing status. It also recognizes excellence in manufacturing practices that lead to high levels of customer satisfaction and Return on Total Assets (ROTA). The objective of these awards is to recognize the Indian manufacturing capability and assess its global competitiveness.

"AstraZeneca in India has invested significantly both in financial and people terms in its sophisticated production facility which is designed to meet the most stringent international standards and conforms to WHO cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) norms," said Bhasker Iyer, managing director, AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd.

Recognition for this award should be attributed to the dedication of the 250 people that are employed at this facility who endeavour to ensure that the facility is consistently rated as one of the finest in this part of Asia, stated N Misra, VP Operations, AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd.

AstraZeneca's manufacturing facility is spread over 66 acres of lush, green environs at Yelahanka, Bangalore is ISO 14001 certified and has a full-fledged environment management system in place. It also has Swedish MPA approval for bulk drug facility.

In India, AstraZeneca's presence includes AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited (AZPIL), the marketing company, with products in six major therapeutic areas - cardiovascular, oncology, maternal healthcare, infection, respiratory, neuroscience, gastrointestinal and a world-class manufacturing unit conforming to WHO current Good Manufacturing Practices.

AstraZeneca India Pvt. Ltd. (AZIPL), the centre of excellence established in 1996, and an integrated part of the AstraZeneca R&D network, is the only MNC in India focused on discovering novel drugs or therapies for tuberculosis. A new, state-of-the-art process R&D facility, employing over 50 scientists, will be operational by March 2007.