“MY CHILD MATTERS“: LAUNCH OF A MOBILISATION CAMPAIGN AGAINST CHILDHOOD CANCER IN EMERGING COUNTRIES

Contacts : José Julio Divino Dr. Robert Sebbag, Communication Campaigns Vice President, Solidarity Mission UICC on access to Medicine Tel : 41 22 809 1878 Tel : 33 1 53 77 47 80 divino@uicc.org robert.sebbagt@sanofi-aventis.com Caty Forget, Director of sponsorship Tel : 33 1 53 77 48 25 caty.forget@sanofi-aventis.com “MY CHILD MATTERS“: LAUNCH OF A MOBILISATION CAMPAIGN AGAINST CHILDHOOD CANCER IN EMERGING COUNTRIES The International Union against Cancer (UICC) and sanofi-aventis are launching a mobilisation program against childhood cancer in emerging countries, in preparation for World Cancer Day, February 4, 2006. – The International Union against Cancer (UICC) and sanofi-aventis have announced today the launch of a mobilisation and awareness raising campaign to fight against childhood cancer in emerging countries. Under the aegis of the Paris Charter against Cancer, this campaign is a follow up to the World Summit against cancer in the new millennium which on February 4, 2000, called for “an invincible alliance between researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, government, industry and media to fight cancer and its greatest allies which are fear, ignorance and complacency”. This joint UICC/sanofi-aventis sponsorship program is intended to raise awareness and fight against the disease, to encourage information and training programs in prevention, early screening, diagnosis, and treatment in order to cause a change in behaviour. It is composed of three complementary aspects. - A call for projects was launched at the end of June 2005, in the first 10 pilot countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Honduras, Morocco, Philippines, Senegal, Tanzania, Ukraine, Venezuela and Vietnam. The Advisory Steering Committee1 selected the 14 winners out of the 58 pre-selected projects. The winning projects are to receive financial support up to 50,000€ per project per year for an average duration of 3 years. These projects deal with developing better information on childhood cancer, early diagnosis, quality treatment protocols and on better management of the social welfare aspects of the disease. - A grass roots study will be carried out in these 10 countries and a report published during the second semester of 2006 to take stock of the situation and to define future actions. - A mobilisation and awareness-raising campaign will be launched on February 4, 2006, in the various countries relayed by the member organisations of UICC and will emphasize in particular early screening and equal access to healthcare. Each year more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer. 90,000 of these children are expected to die of the disease. Most childhood cancers are curable, if care is provided in the very early stages. 80% of the afflicted children live in developing countries. In industrialized countries three out of four children afflicted with cancer survive. Unfortunately this is not the case in emerging countries where more than one child in every two with cancer dies of the disease. According to Professor David Khayat, President of the French National Cancer Institute, “Pooling our knowledge and best practices and encouraging the sharing of experience and initiatives with developing and emerging countries will enable us to deploy our strengths to make progress in the sole interest of our patients. Everyone may contribute to this mobilisation in keeping with their resources and needs. Alone and isolated we cannot act effectively. We must work hand in hand to vanquish cancer and put an end to the suffering of so many patients and their families.” This commitment is shared by Jean-François Dehecq, Chairman and CEO of sanofi-aventis who declared, “One of the essential roles of a group such as ours is to identify new avenues of research and to make innovative and adapted treatment available to patients. However, our action, in cooperation with organisations such as UICC, must go even further to help reduce the gap between different countries, in particular in the interest of children. This requires even more solidarity.” According to Dr. Franco Cavalli, President elect of UICC, “We must improve the survival rate of children living with cancer throughout the world. In developing countries where more than 80% of childhood cancer patients are to be found and where the survival rates are the lowest, governments do not have the financial means to implement public health projects. This initiative will contribute to raising awareness of the fact that childhood cancer can be treated and often cured!” About UICC The International Union against Cancer (UICC) is the only international non-governmental organisation that is dedicated solely to the global control of cancer. Its vision is of a world where cancer is eliminated as a major life-threatening disease for future generations. As the world's largest independent, non-profit association of cancer-fighting organisations, UICC is a catalyst for responsible dialogue and collective action. With over 270 member organisations in more than 80 countries, UICC is a resource for action and a voice for change. About sanofi-aventis Sanofi-aventis is the third ranking pharmaceutical group worldwide and is number one in Europe. Sanofi-aventis group carries out international research and development in its seven major therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, thrombosis, oncology, metabolic disorders, central nervous system, internal medicine and vaccines. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE:SNY). About the French National Cancer Institute The French Natio nal Cancer Institute was created under the public health policy law adopted on August 9, 2004, and is in charge of coordinating oncology activities in France including the supervision of health care policy and research. It has established partnerships at European and international level and implements cooperation programs with emerging countries. Two cooperation agreements were signed in January 2006, with the Ukraine and Tunisia to contribute to the implementation of their national cancer programs. Partnerships are about to be finalised with Morocco, Senegal and Gaza. The Institute hopes to reinforce its cooperation with Egypt and Vietnam before the end of this year. 1 List of members of the Advisory Steering committee of the campaign “My child matters” : Dr Franco Cavalli (Directeur Istituto Oncologico della Svizzera Italiana), Dr Tim Eden (President, International Society of Paediatric Oncology), Dr Alain Herrera (Director Oncology Franchise, sanofi-aventis), Dr Jean Lemerle (President du GFAOP, Franco-African Paediatric Oncology group), Dr Ian Magrath (President of INCTR, International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research), Dr Ching-Hon Pui (Director of the leukaemia and lymphoma division, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital), Dr Hélène Sancho Garnier (Director of the prevention and epidemiology department , Epidaure Centre), Dr Eva Steliarova-Foucher (IARC, International Agency for Research on Cancer), M. Geoff Thaxter (Vice-Président, International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parent Organisations).