SANOFI PASTEUR TO PRODUCE $100 MILLION DOLLARS OF VACCINE AGAINST H5N1 INFLUENZA VIRUS FOR U.S. GOVERNMENT

Sanofi pasteur, the vaccines business of the sanofi-aventis Group (NYSE: SNY), has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to produce a vaccine to help protect against the H5N1 influenza virus strain, the so-called avian strain. Scientists believe the H5N1 strain could become the cause of a global influenza pandemic. The contract is another major effort by sanofi pasteur to support efforts in both the U.S. and Europe to prepare the world for the possibility of an

influenza pandemic.

PR Newswire (http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-15-2005/0004108275&EDATE=)