UPDATE 1-Abbott, Astra ditch 2-in-1 heart drug

* Drug combined Astra's Crestor, Abbott's TriLipix

* Combo pill was seen as key to cholesterol franchises

* U.S. regulators wanted more information

WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N) and AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L) (AZN.N) are abandoning plans to develop their experimental heart drug known as Certriad after various setbacks, the companies said on Wednesday.

Abbott and Astra said they expect no financial fallout to company earnings per share in 2010 or 2011 from ending their collaboration.

The move follows the Food and Drug Administration's rejection of the drug in March, when it asked for more information. set to delay any possible approval for the U.S. market.

The two drugmakers, in a statement, said they made their decision after considering the FDA's verdict, "the resulting regulatory delay and the commercial attractiveness of the product in the U.S. market."

Certriad, which combines the active ingredients from Astra's blockbuster cholesterol pill Crestor and Abbott's TriLipix, had been seen as an important product to extend both firms' cholesterol-lowering franchises.

Consensus forecasts had pointed to sales of $564 million by 2013, according to Thomson Reuters data. (Reporting by Susan Heavey; Additional reporting by Ben Hirschler in London; editing by Matthew Lewis)