| October 2,
2003
Leverkusen/Germany. Bayer AG today announced that it is initiating a process to
divest its plasma business which is part of the Biological Products (BP)
division. The Kogenate line of products and hemophilia franchise is not included
as part of this initiative.
Bayer BP division will continue to pursue new technologies and maintain reliable
supplies of safe products. "Our technology expertise, exciting product line,
demonstrated safety expertise, and product pipeline will allow us to continue to
provide reliable, high-quality products and services to extend and improve
patients' lives" said Dr. Gunnar Riemann, President, Bayer Biological Products .
"Our deep pipeline of new products, together with our solid market presence with
Prolastin for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and Gamunex and Gamimune N for
immune disorders, allows us to work from a position of strength as we pursue
this process."
The plasma business recorded sales of EUR 679 million in 2002; sales in the
first half of 2003 reached EUR 293 million. The unit, which is headquartered in
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States, employs around 1,350
people, the vast majority of them in the U.S.
The range of biological products derived from blood plasma includes drugs such
as Polyglobin/Gamimune for the treatment of immunodeficiency disorders and
Prolastin for the therapy of congenital pulmonary emphysema.
In August 2003, Bayer was granted marketing authorization in the U.S. for
Gamunex, a next-generation intravenous immunoglobulin which had also received
regulatory approval in Canada shortly beforehand. This new drug from Bayer
Biological Products is the first immunoglobulin in the past ten years to be
developed completely from scratch. Gamunex is manufactured in a new,
state-of-the-art facility in Clayton, North Carolina.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions
and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material
differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company, and the estimates given
here. These factors include those discussed in our public reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (including our Form 20-F).
The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements
or to conform them to future events or developments.
Contact:
For further Information please contact
Dr. Michael Diehl
Bayer HealthCare AG
Leverkusen
Phone: ++49-214-30-58532
Fax: ++49-214-30-71640
e-mail: michael.diehl.md@bayer-ag.de
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