Sanofi Pasteur Supports National Influenza Vaccination Week

Main Category: Immune System / Vaccines
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma;  Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Public Health
Article Date: 27 Nov 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group (NYSE: SNY), joins the influenza immunization community in recognizing the importance of National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) by supporting educational activities that raise awareness of influenza immunization recommendations and the need to continue to vaccinate throughout the holidays, in December, January, and beyond.

NIVW (November 26-December 2) is sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the National Influenza Vaccine Summit, a public-private partnership sponsored by CDC and the American Medical Association.

As an original member and active participant of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit, the company is proud to help build widespread support for vaccination during this week and beyond in an effort to support public health goals and save lives.

Sanofi Pasteur supports several national educational programs and collaborations with not-for-profit organizations that are dedicated to advancing preventive health for all Americans. These programs reach the American public, including health-care providers, with the same important NIVW message encouraging the public to seek vaccination throughout the influenza season in support of CDC recommendations. According to the CDC, while influenza typically peaks in February, vaccination is recommended throughout the influenza season because the vaccine continues to be beneficial even if influenza activity has begun in the community.

As the world's leading vaccine manufacturer, sanofi pasteur produces approximately 40 percent of the influenza vaccine distributed in the United States. Sanofi Pasteur is committed to raising immunization rates and improving global access to vaccines. As part of this commitment, the company is expanding its influenza vaccine production facility in the United States. This expansion, expected to come on-line by the end of 2008 or in early 2009, should more than double U.S. production capacity.

Influenza remains a very serious disease and is the seventh leading cause of death in America. One in five people on average are infected with influenza each year, causing about 226,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths annually. This year, the anticipated 132 million doses that will be available on the market will exceed historical supply of influenza vaccine in the United States. By using the entire vaccination season and every opportunity to immunize, and by using all of the supply this year from all manufacturers, health-care providers can protect more people, help prepare an infrastructure for a possible influenza pandemic, and reduce influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths.

Influenza Vaccine Recommendations

The CDC recommends influenza immunization for all persons who want to reduce the risk of becoming ill with influenza or of transmitting the virus to others, including school-aged children. Annual vaccination is especially important for children 6 through 59 months of age, persons 50 years of age and older, pregnant women, and anyone 6 months of age and older with a chronic medical condition such as asthma and diabetes. The vaccine also is recommended for persons who live with or care for persons at high risk, including household contacts and health-care workers.

About Fluzone Vaccine

Fluzone(R) Influenza Virus Vaccine is the only influenza vaccine licensed for populations 6 months and older. A Fluzone vaccine formulation (trade name: Fluzone(R), Influenza Virus Vaccine, No Preservative) that does not contain a preservative at any stage in the manufacturing process was introduced in 2004-2005. It was the first FDA-licensed injectable influenza vaccine to be manufactured in this way.

The 2007-2008 influenza vaccine formulation contains an A/Solomon Islands/3/2006 (H1N1)-like virus; an A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like virus; and a B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like virus. The three strains for the new influenza vaccine formulation were confirmed by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee in February 2007 and correspond with recommendations made by the World Health Organization in February. Influenza vaccine is formulated each year to match as closely as possible the strains predicted to circulate during the upcoming season.

Safety Information

There are risks associated with all vaccines. The most common local and systemic adverse reactions to Fluzone vaccine include soreness at the vaccination site that can last up to 2 days, pain, swelling, fever, malaise, and myalgia. Other adverse reactions may occur. Influenza vaccine should not be administered to anyone with a history of hypersensitivity to any vaccine component, including eggs, egg products, or thimerosal (the only presentation that contains thimerosal is the multi-dose vial). Fluzone vaccine should not be administered to individuals who have a prior history of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). As with any vaccine, vaccination with Fluzone vaccine may not protect 100% of individuals.

Before administering Fluzone vaccine, please see full Prescribing Information at http://www.vaccineplace.com/products

About sanofi-aventis

Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, provided more than a billion doses of vaccine in 2006, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, sanofi pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The Company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than USD 1.3 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: http://www.sanofipasteur.com or http://www.sanofipasteur.us

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 financial 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 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, 2006. Other than as required by applicable law, sanofi-aventis does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

Sanofi Pasteur
http://www.sanofipasteur.com