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Sanofi-aventis concludes €10 billion in medium-term credit agreements with its banks to refinance the Aventis acquisition financing entered into in April 2004
Paris, France
April 01, 2005
Sanofi-aventis announced today the simultaneous signature of a medium-term syndicated credit agreement amounting to €8 billion and four bilateral credit facilities amounting to €500 million each.
The syndicated credit agreement consists of two revolving credit lines, each having a different maturity:
  • a €5.5 billion five-year tranche with the possibility of extending the maturity up to seven years, and
  • a €2.5 billion seven-year tranche.  

The bilateral credit facilities have three-year maturities.

These new credit facilities, totaling €10 billion, which follow the refinancing in January of the short-term €5 billion tranche A facility, allow sanofi-aventis to refinance substantially all of the syndicated acquisition financing put in place in April 2004.  These operations significantly reduce sanofi-aventis’ credit costs.

 

About sanofi-aventis
Sanofi-aventis Group is the world's third largest pharmaceutical company, ranking number one in Europe. Backed by a world-class R&D organization, sanofi-aventis is developing leading positions in seven major therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, thrombosis, oncology, metabolic diseases, central nervous system, internal medicine and vaccines. The sanofi-aventis Group is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

The sanofi-aventis Group conducts business in the U.S. through its affiliates Sanofi-Synthelabo Inc. and Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc.

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  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 and expectations with respect to future operations, products and services, and statements regarding future performance.  Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “expect,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates” 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 and Aventis, including those listed under “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in sanofi-aventis’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2003 and those listed under “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in Aventis’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2003.  Other than as required by applicable law, sanofi-aventis does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

 

U.S. Contact
Chip Rouse, 908-243-6050
chip.rouse@sanofi-aventis.com