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
Web site: http://www.sanofi-aventis.us/
http://www.sanofi-aventis.com/