Study Shows Aventis Pasteur's Candidate Pediatric Combination Vaccine to Be As Safe as Single Component Vaccines Currently in Use

        DTaP/IPV/Hib Vaccine Safety Data Studied in Multi-Center Trial

    MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- In a study presented today at

the 3rd International Pediatric Infectious Disease Conference, Aventis Pasteur

Inc.'s candidate pentavalent pediatric vaccine was shown to be as safe as

currently used single-component vaccines when given concurrently with other

recommended childhood vaccines.  The combination vaccine, which includes

pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type

b (Hib) components, is currently being studied in ongoing randomized

multi-center trials for use in the United States and has been licensed for

pediatric use in ten countries, including Canada, where it is registered under

the tradename Pentacel(R).

    "The development of safe pediatric combination vaccines is an important

research priority that will help ease physician and parental concerns about

multiple injections while potentially having the added public health benefit

of improving our national immunization rates," said Steven Black, M.D., Kaiser

Permanente, who is the study's principal investigator.  "Historically, ideal

pertussis-based combination vaccines have been difficult to achieve because of

immune interference or reactogenicity, but this vaccine could hold the promise

of potentially overcoming such hurdles.

    According to the currently recommended childhood immunization schedule,

infants may receive up to five injections during a visit to the pediatrician's

office.  A five component vaccine would reduce that number to three.

    "Aventis Pasteur is committed to developing safe and effective combination

vaccines that build upon its existing expertise," said Clotilde Thiriart,

vice-president, research and development for Aventis Pasteur Inc.  "This study

is an important milestone in bringing more advanced combination vaccines to

the U.S. market."

    The ongoing randomized multi-center study is being conducted in the U.S.,

with the current data comparing the safety and immunogenicity of the five

component vaccine to the separate administration of its individual vaccines

(DTaP/IPV/Hib) in 2,503 subjects.  After the first dose of the combination

vaccine, subjects had less redness (19.3% versus 24.3%), swelling (12.4%

versus 16.1%), and tenderness (39.5% versus 58.6%) of any severity than the

1,031 subjects in the control group at the DTaP injection site.  In addition,

subjects in the combination vaccine group had a lower rate of fever,

fussiness, crying, and other adverse events typically associated with the

administration of some DTaP vaccines.  Preliminary data in this ongoing study

indicate that a similar low-incidence of adverse events was observed after the

2nd and 3rd dose of the vaccine was administered; no serious adverse events

were reported at this time.

    Part II of the ongoing study will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity

of combination and component vaccines at 15 months of age.

    Aventis (NYSE: AVE), a world leader in pharmaceuticals and agriculture, is

dedicated to improving life through the discovery and development of

innovative products.  In 2000, Aventis generated group sales of $20.6 billion

and employed around 92,500 people in its Pharma and Agriculture businesses.

Aventis announced in November 2000 that it intends to focus on pharmaceuticals

and plans to divest its activities in agriculture.  Aventis was launched in

December 1999 through the merger of Hoechst AG of Germany and Rhone-Poulenc SA

of France.  Corporate headquarters are in Strasbourg, France.  For more

information, please visit:  http://www.aventis.com

    Aventis Pasteur, a world leader in vaccines with the broadest range of

products, produces more than one billion doses of vaccines every year to

immunize 400 million people around the world.  Aventis Pasteur, headquartered

in Lyon, France, is one of the pharmaceutical activities of Aventis SA.

    Aventis Pasteur Inc. is located in Swiftwater, PA, and is owned by Aventis

Pasteur SA.  Aventis Pasteur Inc. provides the broadest range of human

vaccines and biologicals commercially available from any single U.S. vaccine

company.  It is a leading supplier of vaccines to protect against influenza,

diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever,

Haemophilus influenzae type b disease, meningitis, rabies, and typhoid fever.

    Statements in this news release other than historical information are

forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties.  Actual results

could differ materially depending on factors such as the availability of

resources, the timing and effects of regulatory actions, the strength of

competition, the outcome of litigation and the effectiveness of patent

protection.  Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties is set

forth in the current Annual Report on Form 20-F of Aventis on file with the

Securities and Exchange Commission.

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