AstraZeneca (AZ) is a global prescription-based biopharmaceutical company. AZ uses its focus on drugs and biologics to create innovative, large revenue pharmaceuticals. This is highlighted by the fact that AZ’s top six pharmaceuticals, such as popular cholesterol fighter Crestor and acid reflux drug Nexium, correspond to GBP 13b of revenues (60% of total). GBP 8.6bn of those revenues will be severely impacted by the various expiration of patent protection from now until 2014 and the loss of revenue from the resulting generic competition. The industry and AZ is facing deteriorating R&D productivity, but AZ has streamlined its R&D activity and is depending on external research and in-licensing to bolster the development of new products. It will be up to AZ to use its brand power to promote its new pipeline of 9 final phase and 17 line extensions products in a new fiscally conscious healthcare landscape. AZ is reliant on its strong growth from emerging and less penetrated markets to offset its underperforming and declining sales from the US and Western Europe (69% of revenues).