Great Place to Work® Institute Canada reveals annual study based on credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie in the workplace

OAKVILLE, ON - April 28, 2008 - Pharmaceutical company Nycomed Canada Inc. has been ranked third on the 2008 list of 'Best Workplaces in Canada', an annual list published today by the Great Place to Work® Institute Canada.

This year, the judges for the Best Workplaces in Canada assessed a total of 24,063 Canadian business employees from a variety of industries ranging from 51 to 43,302 employees in size.

Nycomed Canada, which is headquartered in Oakville and has over 220 employees across the country, is the highest-ranked pharmaceutical company on the 2008 list.

"Culture trumps strategy," said John Suk, CEO Nycomed Canada, summing up his company's approach to the workplace. "Throughout our 10 year history, we have always found that investing in our people means we are investing in our company's success - one cannot thrive without the other.

"This is especially critical in today's rapidly changing pharmaceutical environment," Suk continues. "It is the dedication of our employees and their commitment to being a preferred company, which instills confidence in our customers and partners. To be recognized as a Best Workplace in 2008, means we are on the right road for our future.”

The only companies positioned ahead of Nycomed Canada on the 2008 list were information technology company D.L.G.L. Ltd. and advertising and marketing company Environics

Communications Inc.

How companies are recognized as a 'Best Workplace'

To choose the Best Workplaces in Canada, the Great Place to Work® Institute Canada relied on two things: an evaluation of the culture of each organization and the opinions of the organization's employees.

Two-thirds of a company's total score comes from employee responses to the 'Trust Index' survey (comprised of 57 scaled and two open-ended questions). The remaining third of the score comes from the evaluation of a culture audit submitted by each company. It examines demographic makeup, pay, and benefits programs and how the companies themselves say they exhibit the core elements of the Great Place to Work® Institute Trust Index Model, which is based on:

• Credibility (two-way communication, competence, integrity);

• Respect (support, collaboration, caring);

• Fairness (equity, impartiality, justice);

• Pride (in personal job, team, company); and

• Camaraderie (intimacy, hospitality, community).

The survey goes to a minimum of 350 randomly selected employees from each company (or all employees if less than 350).

The winners of the 2008 Best Workplaces in Canada were announced in a special national report published today (April 28, 2008) in The Globe & Mail.

About Great Place to Work® Institute Canada

The Great Place to Work® Institute Canada is dedicated to building a better society by helping companies transform their workplaces. The Institute's work is based on the major findings of more than 20 years of research - that trust between managers and employees is the primary defining characteristic of the best workplaces. The Institute offers services and tools to help companies build trust and become more effective organizations. www.greatplacetowork.ca.

About Nycomed Canada

Nycomed Canada Inc. is the Canadian subsidiary of Nycomed GmbH; a European based, privately owned research-based company. Through its innovative products and dedicated people, Nycomed is committed to improving the health of Canadians. In Canada, Nycomed is active in the therapeutic areas of gastroenterology, respirology and dermatology.

Headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, the company employs more than 220 people across the country. For more information, visit http://www.nycomed.com/.