Sanofi-aventis Announces a Good Third Quarter Performance; Increase in 2007 full-year earnings growt...( Adjusted net income ex...),Health

Adjusted net income excluding selected items:

2007 Q3: euro 1,883 million (up 10.8%), i.e. euro 1.40 per share (up 11.1%), or $2,587 million (up 19.5%), i.e. $1.92 per share (up 19.3%) 2007 9 months: euro 5,532 million (up 6.3%), i.e. euro 4.10 per share (up

5.9%), or $7,435 million (up 14.9%), i.e. $5.50 per share (up 14.3%)

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In order to give a representation of the underlying economic performance, we present and explain an adjusted income statement. We also report adjusted net income and adjusted EPS (excluding selected items) in U.S. dollars in order to facilitate comparisons with the majority of major pharmaceutical groups. The consolidated income statement for the first nine months of 2007 is provided in the Appendices. Net income for the first nine months of 2007 was euro 4,510 million, against euro 3,431 million for the comparable period of 2006.

2007 third-quarter net sales

- Up 4.4% on a comparable basis (up 1.8% on a reported basis) at euro

7,025 million

- Growth of 6.4% in pharmaceuticals net sales after excluding the impact

of generics of Ambien(R) IR in the United States and Eloxatin(R) in

Europe, in line with the previous quarter

- Growth of 49.2% in net sales for the vaccines business incorporates the

effect of earlier shipments of influenza vaccines than in 2006

Ongoing cost adaptation measures

- Further reduction in selling and general expenses in the third quarter.

Ratio of selling and general expenses to net sales down to 26.3% for

the 9 months to end September 2007, versus 27.9% for the comparable

period of 2006

Main events of the quarter

- Full effect of the recovery of Plavix(R) in the United States

- Acceleration in sales growth of Plavix(R) in Japan, recent extension of

the product's indication

- Launch of Lantus
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