Today, the OASIS study group will present initial results of the CURRENT-OASIS 7 clinical trial at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Barcelona. Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN, and NYSE: SNY) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), co-commercialization and co-development partners for PLAVIX(R) (clopidogrel bisulfate), were sponsors of the study.

CURRENT-OASIS 7 is the largest clinical trial (25,087 patients) to evaluate different dosing regimens of PLAVIX(R) plus aspirin in a broad range of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients (UA/NSTEMI/STEMI). The study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of an intensified clopidogrel regimen (600 mg loading dose day 1 / 150 mg days 2-7 / 75 mg days 8-30) versus the approved PLAVIX dosage (300 mg loading dose day 1 / 75 mg days 2-30) for patients managed with an early invasive strategy with an intent for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

The primary end-point (cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke at thirty days) for the entire study population (including subpopulations of patients that underwent PCI (70%) or not (30%) examining the difference between the high-dose and standard-dose PLAVIX(R) (clopidogrel bisulfate) regimens did not reach statistical significance (4.2% vs. 4.4%, HR 0.95, p=0.37).

For clinically relevant subgroups that were pre-specified for preliminary analyses, such as the PCI subgroup (70% of the trial population, 17,232 patients), potentially medically relevant differences in patient outcomes were observed. In this subgroup, analysis showed an improvement in outcome for patients taking the higher dose regimen (600 mg loading / 150 mg for days 2-7 / 75 mg days 8-30) over the standard dose regimen (300 mg loading / 75 mg for days 2-30), as shown by the reduction of the same composite end-point of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and stroke by 15% (4.5% vs 3.9%, p=0.037). In addition, analysis showed an important 42% relative risk reduction in definite stent thrombosis (1.2% vs 0.7%, p=0.001) with the higher dose regimen of clopidogrel over the standard loading dose.

"An artery opening procedure with stent placement exposes a patient to an increased risk of stent occlusion and subsequent heart attack," said Doctor Jean-Pierre Lehner, Chief Medical Officer, sanofi-aventis. "CURRENT-OASIS 7 provides important new information about a high-dose regimen of PLAVIX(R) in ACS patients planned for PCI. We are pleased to contribute to furthering the understanding of patient care during the acute phase of coronary intervention."

The primary safety end-point was assessed by the stringent bleeding definition of OASIS and while a significant increase in the primary safety end-point of major bleeding with the high-dose compared to the standard-dose PLAVIX(R) regimen was observed in the overall trial population (2.5% vs 2.0%, HR 1.25, p=0.01) and the PCI population (1.6% vs 1.1%, HR 1.44, p=0.006), there was no statistically significant difference in intracranial bleeding or fatal hemorrhage in the overall population and the PCI population.

Sanofi-aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb believe that the CURRENT-OASIS 7 data add to the broad clinical experience with PLAVIX(R), which has been used in over 90 million patients during the 11 years it has been on the market.

About PLAVIX(R) (clopidogrel bisulfate)

Please see full prescribing information for the United States by visiting www.PLAVIX.com. For the most updated PLAVIX(R) labelling information in Europe please refer to: http://www.emea.europa.eu/humandocs/PDFs/EPAR/PLAVIX/H-174-PI-en.pdf.

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). For more information, please visit: www.sanofi-aventis.com.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to extend and enhance human life. For more information, visit www.bms.com.

Statement on Cautionary Factors

Sanofi-aventis

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.

Bristol-Myers Squibb

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the research, development and commercialization of products. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Among other risks, there can be no guarantee that the clinical trials described in this release will support a regulatory filing. Forward-looking statements in the press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Bristol-Myers Squibb's business, particularly those identified in the cautionary factors discussion in Bristol-Myers Squibb's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Bristol-Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Ingrid Gorg-Armbrecht, Media, +33-153-774-625, Mobile: +33-686-056-688, or
ingrid.goerg-armbrecht@sanofi-aventis.com, Sebastien Martel, Investors,
+33-153-774-545, or ir@sanofi-aventis.com, both of sanofi-aventis; Laura Hortas,
Media, +1-609-240-7025, or laura.hortas@bms.com , John Elicker, Investors,
+1-609-252-4611, or john.elicker@bms.com, both of Bristol-Myers Squibb

"This decision by Bristol-Myers Squibb is an important validation of Asterand's products and services. Asterand provides human based solutions that improve decision making during the development of medicines. Our customers incorporate human tissue-based models at all stages of development from target identification to pre-clinical research. We are delighted that Bristol-Myers Squibb has renewed our collaboration and our team looks forward to continuing to support their target validation and compound optimisation programmes."

Under the extended collaboration, Asterand will continue to undertake a range of PhaseZERO(R) studies for Bristol-Myers Squibb in the areas of compound profiling and target validation. PhaseZERO(R) studies include gene and protein expression profiling and cell-based pharmacology assays. Likewise, Bristol-Myers Squibb will be granted access to Asterand's XpressBANK(TM) of human tissue, bio-fluid, and cell lines and may also utilize Asterand's ProCURE(TM) custom clinical sample collection service.

About ASTERAND

Asterand plc is a leading supplier of high quality human tissue and tissue-based services. Our comprehensive approach to human tissue and research services offers pharmaceutical, biotech and diagnostic companies the unique opportunity to have one Company meet all of their human biomaterial needs along the continuum of drug discovery and development. Our mission is to accelerate target discovery and compound validation and enable pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to take safer and more effective drugs into the clinic.

For more information, go to www.Asterand.com.

SOURCE: Asterand plc

Asterand plc 
Martyn Coombs, Chief Executive Officer 
John Stchur, Chief Financial Officer 
Tel: + 44 (0) 1763 211 600 / 
+ 1 (313) 263-0960 
or 
Buchanan Communications 
Lisa Baderoon / Jennie Spivey 
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000 
or 
Cenkos Securities plc 
Stephen Keys / Alex Aylen 
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7397 8924 
or 
Daniel Stewart & Company plc 
Martin Lampshire 
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7776 6550

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