Patients Receiving Haemodialysis for Treatment of End Stage Renal Disease did not Benefit From Statin Therapy in the AURORA Study

Orlando, Florida (ots/PRNewswire) - New data from the
AURORA trial, a study in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD)
undergoing chronic haemodialysis, showed that there was no difference
between rosuvastatin 10mg and placebo in reducing the combined
endpoint of cardiovascular (CV) death, nonfatal stroke, and nonfatal
myocardial infarction. During a median follow-up period of 3.8 years,
396 patients in the rosuvastatin group and 408 in the placebo group
reached the primary end point (p=0.59). These new data were presented
at the 58th Annual American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions
(ACC) in Orlando, Florida, and published simultaneously in the New
England Journal of Medicine.

This result from the AURORA study is in line with the previously
published 4D study that investigated the use of atorvastatin in
patients undergoing haemodialysis.

Patients with ESRD have kidney (renal) failure, requiring
dialysis, and have advanced calcification of the arteries. To stay
alive these patients must have their blood cleaned artificially by
dialysis or receive a new kidney through transplantation. Patients
with ESRD undergoing chronic haemodialysis have an increased
cardiovascular mortality compared to people with normal renal
function.

In over 2,700 chronically sick patients in AURORA, the frequency
of adverse events was similar among those taking rosuvastatin and
placebo.

"These chronically ill patients with kidney failure have advanced
calcification of the arteries which makes those arteries stiff and
unable to function normally," said Michael Cressman, AstraZeneca's
Medical Science Director for CRESTOR, "The lack of observed benefit
with statin therapy in 4D and AURORA suggests that CV disease in
these patients receiving chronic haemodialysis differs from that in
other clinical settings."

AURORA (A study to evaluate the Use of Rosuvastatin in subjects
On Regular haemodialysis: an Assessment of survival and
cardiovascular events) is a large-scale, international, randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled study comparing CRESTOR 10mg and
placebo on CV death, nonfatal stroke and nonfatal MI in 2,750
patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on chronic
haemodialysis. AURORA was conducted in 25 countries.

AURORA is part of AstraZeneca's extensive GALAXY clinical trials
program, designed to address important unanswered questions in statin
research. Currently, more than 69,000 patients have been recruited
from 55 countries worldwide to participate in the GALAXY Program.

ABOUT ROSUVASTATIN:

Studies have previously shown that CRESTOR significantly lowered
LDL-C, had a significant effect on raising HDL-C and slowed the
progression of atherosclerosis, an underlying cause of cardiovascular
disease.

CRESTOR has now received regulatory approval in over 95
countries. Nearly 15 million patients have been prescribed CRESTOR
worldwide. Data from clinical trials and real world use shows that
the safety profile for CRESTOR is in line with other marketed
statins.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged
in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of
meaningful prescription medicines and supplier for healthcare
services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical
companies with healthcare sales of US$ 31.6 billion and is a leader
in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory,
oncology and infectious disease medicines. For more information about
AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca.com

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ots Originaltext: AstraZeneca
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Contact:
For further information please contact: Ben Strutt, Global PR
Director, Cardiovascular Therapy Area, AstraZeneca, Tel:
+44(0)1625-230076, Mob: +44(0)7919-565990, Email:
ben.strutt@astrazeneca.com .