Roche Completes Acquisition of Genentech( BASEL Switzerland and SAN FRANCISCO M...),Health

BASEL, Switzerland and SAN FRANCISCO, March 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Roche (SWX: ROG.VX; RO.S, OTCQX: RHHBY) and Genentech (NYSE: DNA) announced today that Roche has completed its acquisition of Genentech pursuant to a short-form merger in which Genentech became a wholly-owned member of the Roche Group. Roche had announced earlier in the day the successful completion of its tender offer, which expired on Wednesday, March 25. In connection with the merger, all remaining public shareholders will, subject to appraisal rights, receive $95.00 per share for their shares.

Genentech's common stock will no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange after Thursday, March 26.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world's biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, and is a market leader in virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2008 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 36.0 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 9.7 billion francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interest in Chugai, and invested nearly 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D in 2008. Worldwide, the Group employs about 80,000 people. Additional information is available on the Internet at '/>"/>