Synexus(R) Recruits 20% of All Patients in Crestor Jupiter Study

MANCHESTER, England--(Business Wire)--
Using just eight of its 14 hub sites Synexus(R) recruited and
randomised more than 2740 of the 15,000 patients involved in
AstraZeneca's Crestor Jupiter study into cardiovascular disease.

The study, which was stopped early, due to unequivocal evidence of
a reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, was carried out
in 1200 sites across 26 countries.

Each Synexus(R) site averaged more than 314 patients.

Over 90% of late stage trials are still carried out by individual
primary care physicians who recruit between five and ten patients
each.

The Synexus(R) model using full-time investigators at its hub
sites dramatically reduces the cost of running clinical trials through
having one negotiation and contract instead of hundreds and a handful
of sites to monitor.

Synexus(R) is planning to expand into the US and further grow its
network of hub sites in Eastern Europe and India.

About Synexus(R)

Synexus(R) is the world's largest multi-national company dedicated
to the recruitment and running of late stage clinical trials.

Synexus(R) recruits for clinical trials on behalf of
pharmaceutical, biotech and CROs. The clinical trials are then run and
managed by Synexus(R) at their own 14 hub sites across the world.

Synexus(R) pioneered the running of clinical trials at hub sites
as against the traditional method of contracting with primary care
physicians, who on average only recruit and manage five patients each.

About Jupiter

AstraZeneca stopped the CRESTOR JUPITER study early based on
recommendations from an Independent Data Monitoring Board and the
JUPITER Steering Committee, on March 29, 2008. The study will be
stopped, as there is unequivocal evidence of a reduction in
cardiovascular morbidity and mortality amongst patients who received
CRESTOR when compared to placebo.

JUPITER (Justification for the Use of statins in Primary
prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin) was
designed to determine if treating patients with no evidence of
pre-existing cardiovascular disease and low to normal LDL-C but
elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) with CRESTOR 20mg once daily would
reduce major cardiovascular events. CRP is a recognized marker of
inflammation and is associated with an increased risk of
atherosclerotic cardiovascular events.

The trial involved 15000 participants at over 1,200 sites in 26
countries.

Vane Percy & Roberts for Synexus(R)
Simon Vane Percy
Tel: +44(0)1737-821-890/892 or +44(0)-1883-349320
Mobile: +44(0)7710-005910
simon@vanepercy.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008