DENTSPLY Astra Zenca

YORK, Pennsyvlania--DENTSPLY International, a leader in professional dental products, has announced signing a definitive agreement to acquire Astra Tech, a provider of dental implant products, from AstraZeneca for approximately $1.8 billion in cash.

To read more about DENTSPLY International, go to DENTSPLY.

The transaction combines two of the fastest-growing dental implant businesses to create a global competitor with a No. 3 market position. This transaction strengthens DENTSPLY's leadership position in the global dental market, and is expected to be immediately accretive to DENTSPLY's adjusted earnings per share.

Astra Tech, a subsidiary of AstraZeneca, is a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of dental implants, customized implant abutments, and consumable medical devices in the urology and surgery market segments. Astra Tech, which recorded worldwide revenue of $535 million in 2010, operates through two divisions: Astra Tech Dental and Astra Tech Healthcare. Astra Tech Dental offers a comprehensive portfolio of clinically supported dental implants and abutments.

Consistent with DENTSPLY's core strategies, Astra Tech's focus on clinical research support for its products has helped position it as one of the most respected dental implant brands. Astra Tech Dental's Atlantis business is a leading provider of CAD/CAM customized implant abutments. Astra Tech Healthcare is a leading provider of
hydrophilic intermittent catheters, with its LoFric brand hydrophilic catheter having a leading position in the European market.

Bret Wise, DENTSPLY's chairman and chief executive officer, stated, "Astra Tech provides a dynamic opportunity for DENTSPLY in several areas. The combination more than doubles our position in dental implants while expanding the breadth of our portfolio in this growing segment of dentistry. The urology and surgery business and management team provide us with additional growth opportunities within the broader medical devices category with a strong market position and an exciting pipeline of new products. The level of innovation and clinical research
at Astra Tech is extremely complementary with our existing business and strategy and will clearly differentiate us from our competition. We look forward to welcoming our new associates and together we will continue to focus on bringing highly innovative, clinically supported opportunities to dental, urology, and surgical professionals around the world."

Anticipated benefits of transaction
* Creates a leading dental implant franchise: Astra Tech Dental, one of the fastest-growing implant businesses, is recognized as a leader in clinical research and products in the global dental implant market. DENTSPLY's existing dental implant business has also been growing rapidly, and the combination of the two will create a global business with a No. 3 market position.

* Growth and earnings accretive: The combination with Astra Tech is expected to accelerate DENTSPLY's revenue and earnings growth rates. Additionally, the transaction is expected to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share by $0.12 to $0.17 in the first full year following the close of the transaction; $0.30 to $0.40 per share by the third
year, including the benefits of sales and operational synergies. Including transaction-related amortization, the transaction is expected to be modestly dilutive to earnings per share in the first full year and accretive thereafter.

* Accelerates digital dentistry strategy: Astra Tech's Atlantis business is a leader in the fast-growing customized abutment category with opportunity to leverage the technology in global markets. The combination of Atlantis' CAD/CAM offering with DENTSPLY's global digital dentistry platform positions the company to
capitalize on and accelerate the market's shift to digital solutions.

* New opportunity for growth with Astra Tech Healthcare: Astra Tech Healthcare is a leader in the European hydrophilic intermittent catheter market. This business leverages DENTSPLY's core competencies and provides a new growth opportunity within the broader consumable medical device markets.

* Efficient use of capital while maintaining financial flexibility: The transaction allows for an efficient use of capital as DENTSPLY can use balance sheet cash that resides outside of the U.S. and access the financial markets in a low- cost debt environment. The strong cash flow generation of the combined business provides financial flexibility
and allows DENTSPLY to maintain a strong credit profile.

For more information, go to www.dentsply.com.

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References available from company.