AstraZeneca Pharma India has performed well during the year ended December 2005 and its net profit moved up sharply by 67.2 per cent to Rs 43.06 crore from Rs 25.75 crore in the previous year. Its net sales increased by 16.8 per cent to Rs 222.42 crore from Rs 190.47 crore. The earning per share for the year ended December 2005 worked out to Rs 86.12 as against Rs 51.50 in the previous year. The Board of Directors recommended equity dividend of 200 per cent for the year 2005 as against 500 per cent in 2004.

The company's service income increased to Rs 2.93 crore and its other income went up to Rs 7.52 crore from Rs 3.62 crore. The cost of raw material increased by 28 per cent to Rs 72.13 crore and its staff cost amounted to Rs 37.40 crore as against Rs 33.85 crore. The capital employed reached Rs 127.20 crore during 2005 from Rs 95.54 crore.

AstraZeneca R&D Bangalore is dedicated to work on the developing world diseases medicine. Currently the focus is on discovering new treatments for tuberculosis (TB). Its scientists in Bangalore, in collaboration with AstraZeneca genomics and infection research centers in Boston, US, and with external academic leaders in the field, are employing advanced techniques to develop improved diagnostic tests, identify new treatment targets and uncover more effective therapies against the disease that overcome the increasing problem of drug resistance. The company is the only pharmaceutical company in the world with a research programme in India totally dedicated to TB. Its investment of USD 35 millions in the next five years is a part of its commitment to the development of novel therapies to treat infectious diseases that pose an increased threat to developing nations.