The Foundation for National Institutes of Health Announces Unprecedented Product Donation by sanofi-aventis in the U.S.
BETHESDA, Md. and BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Aug. 5
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, the Foundation for the National
Institutes of Health and sanofi-aventis announced an unprecedented
donation by the global pharmaceutical leader providing
approximately $1.3 million in pharmaceutical therapies for ongoing
use in clinical trials and other therapeutic treatments at the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center.
Designated by the Foundation for NIH as the Clinical Center Drug
Donation Project, this gift has been provided by sanofi-aventis
U.S. to be used for scientific purposes as defined and overseen by
the NIH. The donation of three drugs - docetaxel (Taxotere ),
oxaliplatin injection (Eloxatin ) and enoxaparin sodium injection
(Lovenox ) - will be made over the course of one year.
"At a time when the costs of managing clinical trials are on the
rise and budgets are extremely tight, receiving pharmaceutical
products at no cost enables us to extend the Center's resources to
continue its groundbreaking research in many promising areas such
as cell processing, imaging sciences and critical care," said
Charles M. Sanders, M.D., chairman of the Foundation for NIH. "We
are grateful to sanofi-aventis for advancing NIH-sponsored clinical
research with this generous donation and hope that other
pharmaceutical companies will follow its lead."
"We are proud to support the ability of the NIH to pursue new
and cutting-edge research by freeing up much needed resources,"
said Marc Cluzel, M.D. Senior Vice President Research &
Development at sanofi-aventis. "We have been committed to
supporting clinical research in key therapeutic areas for more than
50 years, and this partnership is another example of the company's
steadfast commitment to advancing research, and ultimately, helping
patients."
The NIH Clinical Center is the largest hospital in the United
States entirely devoted to clinical research, with more than 1,500
studies currently in progress, most of which are clinical trials.
These clinical trials play a crucial role in evaluating potential
therapeutic treatments for many critical health challenges facing
the U.S. and the rest of the world. Since the Clinical Center's
opening in 1953, more than 350,000 patients from all 50 states and
around the world have participated in its clinical research.
About the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health was
established by the United States Congress to support the mission of
the National Institutes of Health - improving health through
scientific discovery. The Foundation identifies and develops
opportunities for innovative public-private partnerships and
collaborations and brings together industry, academia, and the
philanthropic community in support of the efforts of the NIH. As a
non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation, the Foundation raises
private-sector funds for a broad portfolio of unique programs that
complement and enhance NIH priorities and activities. The
Foundation's Web site address is http://www.fnih.org/.
The NIH - The Nation's Medical Research Agency - includes 27
Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for
conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical
research, and it investigates the causes, treatments and cures for
common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its
programs, visit www.nih.gov.
About sanofi-aventis
Sanofi-aventis is a leading global pharmaceutical company that
discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to help
improve the lives of patients. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris
(Euronext: SAN) and in New York (NYSE:SNY)
. For more information, visit: www.sanofi-aventis.us or
www.sanofi-aventis.com .
Please see the accompanying Eloxatin (oxaliplatin injection),
Lovenox (enoxaparin sodium injection), and Taxotere (docetaxel)
Injection Concentrate full prescribing information, including Boxed
Warnings.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as
amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not
historical facts. These statements include product development,
product potential projections and estimates and their underlying
assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and
expectations with respect to future events, operations, products
and services, and statements regarding future performance.
Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words
"expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates,"
"plans" and similar expressions. Although sanofi-aventis'
management believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned
that forward-looking information and statements are subject to
various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to
predict and generally beyond the control of sanofi-aventis, that
could cause actual results and developments to differ materially
from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the
forward-looking information and statements. These risks and
uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties
inherent in research and development, future clinical data and
analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory
authorities, such as the FDA or the EMEA, regarding whether and
when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may
be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions
regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the
availability or commercial potential of such products candidates,
the absence of guarantee that the products candidates if approved
will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial
success of therapeutic alternatives as well as those discussed or
identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by
sanofi-aventis, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and
"Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in
sanofi-aventis' annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2008. Other than as required by applicable law,
sanofi-aventis does not undertake any obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking information or statements.
Contact: Noelle Boyd Richard M. Scarfo Sanofi-aventis Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (908) 981-6489 (301) 496-9921
Source: sanofi-aventis
CONTACT: Noelle Boyd, Sanofi-aventis, +1-908-981-6489; Richard
M.
Scarfo, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health,
+1-301-496-9921
Web Site: http://www.sanofi-aventis.us/
http://www.sanofi-aventis.com
Posted: August 2009
