The Neediest Kids Receives $50,000 Donation Through the CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge at PGA TOUR's Booz Allen Classic

BETHESDA, Md., June 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tom Kite was named this week's CRESTOR(R) (rosuvastatin calcium) Charity Challenge winner for his first-place standing entering the final round of the Booz Allen Classic. The CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge is a season-long competition that recognizes and rewards the tournament leader entering the final round at 35 PGA TOUR events. Through the program, now in its second year, AstraZeneca will donate $3.5 million a year to designated health and PGA TOUR charities. At each of the selected tournaments, a $100,000 contribution will be made, supporting the PGA TOUR's "Drive to a Billion" campaign which celebrates the spirit of giving that has helped the TOUR and its tournaments approach the milestone of $1 billion dollars in charitable giving.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050611/NYSA005 )

For Tom Kite's performance, CRESTOR, an AstraZeneca pharmaceutical product, and the Booz Allen Classic will donate $50,000 to The Neediest Kids. In addition, $50,000 will be donated to the health care charity of Tom Kite's choice. CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge winners and the tournament's designated charity will be recognized during the network or cable telecast of each tournament.

Last year, Adam Scott was in the lead entering the final round of the Booz Allen Classic. For his performance, AstraZeneca donated $50,000 to Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health, and Scott donated $50,000 to The Neediest Kids, for a total of $100,000 over the past two years.

"Neediest Kids provides funds directly through each of the seven Washington DC area school systems to children identified as having an immediate need," said Jane Cohen, President of Neediest Kids. "In addition to school supplies, meals, and clothing, we provide health care exams, inoculations, eyeglasses, prosthesis, medical equipment, as well as transportation to medical appointments. We give kids the essentials they need to attend school. It's a simple idea with substantial power."

The CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge is the centerpiece of a multi-year PGA TOUR partnership with AstraZeneca . Last year, AstraZeneca donated $2.7 million through the program. Highlights from the 2004 CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge included:

* More than 50 charities benefited from the program. * Vijay Singh topped more than one money list in 2004, leading all players with five CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge wins. * Tom Lehman was the only player to win three straight CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenges. * Adam Scott, who won twice, was the only other multiple winner. * 17 CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge winners went on to victory in their respective tournaments.

"After just one year, the CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge has become a visible extension of the PGA TOUR's mission of giving back in local communities throughout America," said Tony Zook, senior vice president, commercial operations, AstraZeneca U.S. "Through AstraZeneca's support, the CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge will play a major role in the PGA TOUR's "Drive to a Billion" charitable program."

Fans can log on to http://www.crestor.pgatour.com/ to read about past CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge winners and learn more about CRESTOR. CRESTOR is the presenting sponsor of TOUR Fantasy Golf at http://www.pgatour.com/fantasy and the PGA TOUR's year-end charity special that will air in December.

About The Neediest Kids

Since 1972, The Neediest Kids, a Washington metropolitan area charitable organization has raised money to ensure that at-risk school children have items that are essential to their attendance and success in school. By working with school administrators and community leaders to identify children in need, The Neediest Kids provides critical, immediate assistance with little or no bureaucracy or red tape. For more information visit the Neediest Kids website: http://www.neediestkids.org/.

About CRESTOR

CRESTOR (rosuvastatin calcium) is a once-daily prescription medication for use as an adjunct to diet in the treatment of various lipid disorders including primary hypercholesterolemia, mixed dyslipidemia and isolated hypertriglyceridemia. It is a member of the statin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) class of drug therapy. CRESTOR has not been determined to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. For patients with hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia, the usual recommended starting dose of CRESTOR is 10 mg. Initiation of therapy with 5 mg once daily should be considered for patients requiring less aggressive LDL-C reductions or who have predisposing factors for myopathy. For patients with marked hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C >190 mg/dL) and aggressive lipid targets, a 20-mg starting dose may be considered. AstraZeneca licensed worldwide rights to CRESTOR from the Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co., Ltd.

Important Safety Information

CRESTOR is contraindicated in patients with active liver disease or unexplained persistent elevations of serum transaminases, in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and in nursing mothers. It is recommended that liver function tests be performed before and at 12 weeks following both the initiation of therapy and any elevation of dose, and periodically (e.g., semiannually) thereafter. Rare cases of rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure secondary to myoglobinuria have been reported with CRESTOR and with other drugs in this class. The 40-mg dose of CRESTOR is reserved for those patients who have not achieved LDL-C goal at 20 mg. CRESTOR should be prescribed with caution in patients with predisposing factors for myopathy, such as renal impairment. Patients should be advised to promptly report unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, particularly if accompanied by malaise or fever. CRESTOR is generally well-tolerated. Adverse reactions have usually been mild and transient. The most frequent adverse events thought to be related to CRESTOR were myalgia (3.3%), constipation (1.4%), asthenia (1.3%), abdominal pain (1.3%) and nausea (1.3%). A full copy of the prescribing information for CRESTOR is available at http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/pi/crestor.pdf or by calling 1-877-420-7249.

About AstraZeneca

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 world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of over $21.4 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, oncology and neuroscience products. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $9.6 billion healthcare business with more than 12,000 employees. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/