Sanofi-aventis Announces 2007 Earnings Ahead of Guidance Sharp Rise in Propose...(ificSessions from a retrospective analys...),Health

Taxotere(R) recorded further strong growth during the quarter in Europe (up 16.8%) and in the "Other Countries" region (up 22.5%). In the United States, net sales of the product were up 8.3%, in line with the growth rate achieved in the previous quarter.

In December, sanofi-aventis filed an application with the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) to include Taxotere(R) in combination with Herceptin(R) as an adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, on the basis of the BCIRG-006 study.

In December, results presented to the 30th annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) showed that for women with early stage breast cancer who have had surgery, experimental treatment with a combination of Taxotere(R) and cyclophosphamide significantly improved overall survival compared to standard anthracyclin-based chemotherapy. These results were based on a median follow-up of 7 years.

Ambien CR(TM) posted net sales of $190 million in the United States during the quarter and $751 million over the full year. Net sales of Ambien(R) IR, which went off patent in the United States on April 20, 2007, totaled euro 30 million in the fourth quarter, against euro 352 million in the comparable period of 2006. Full-year net sales of Ambien(R) IR were euro 538 million.

In Japan, sales of Myslee(R) (not consolidated by sanofi-aventis) rose by 6.4% in the fourth quarter to euro 34 million. Over 2007 as a whole, the product achieved growth of 9.8% to euro 118 million.

Under the terms of the agreement between sanofi-aventis and Astellas, sanofi-aventis will consolidate net sales generated by Myslee(R) in Japan with effect from January 1, 2008.
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