AstraZeneca Ramping Up To Take Growth Pangs Head On...

(RTTNews) - Shares of Anglo-Swedish pharma giant AstraZeneca (AZN) are down over 11 percent year-to-date as the company gears up to face another patent cliff this year. This pales before the 4 percent gain by its predator Pfizer and Merck's 8 percent advance.

With two of its blockbuster drugs, Crestor and Seroquel XR - having a combined annual revenue of $6.04 billion - facing generic competition in the U.S. this year, the company has already warned of a low to mid single-digit percentage decline in its 2016 revenue and core EPS.

AstraZeneca grew its revenues by a mere 1 percent in 2015, although it claimed growth platforms accounted for 57 percent of the total. Core earnings per share grew at a faster 7 percent rate, underpinned by core SG&A cost reduction.

However, with several catalysts lined up for this year, the company is optimistic that it will be able to fill the hole left by the drugs going off patents and return to sustainable growth in line with its targets.

Let's take a look at some of the company's drugs that recently received regulatory blessing and those at the regulatory altar, awaiting the final word.

Click on the slide show for appreciating worth behind the underappreciated AstraZeneca…