Sanofi Pasteur and Merck Vaccines Appoint Dr Jean-Paul Kress, as President of Sanofi Pasteur MSD

Lyon, France (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Newcomer's Biopharmaceutical Experience to Further
Develop

European Joint-Venture -

MSD, known as Merck in the United States and Canada , and Sanofi
Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi , the two partner companies
in Sanofi Pasteur MSD, announce today the appointment of Dr.
Jean-Paul Kress as President of Sanofi Pasteur MSD, subject to the
approval of the Board members.

"Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a major contributor to the European
vaccine market. Jean-Paul Kress' appointment at the helm of the
company recognizes a new ambition for our joint-venture in Europe, a
challenging and strategic region for our vaccines activity",said
Olivier Charmeil, President and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur. "His
leadership experience and dynamism will be strong assets to grow
Sanofi Pasteur MSD's market share and operating performance in
Europe."

"Having a strong leader with the breadth of experience Dr. Kress
brings to the table is key to the success of the Sanofi Pasteur MSD
joint-venture and supports our mission to do everything we can to
bring vaccines to all who need them," said Julie L. Gerberding, M.D.,
President Merck Vaccines. "Growing our vaccine business in Europe
remains a critical focus for Merck and we look forward to working
with Jean-Paul to help achieve this important goal."

Combining innovation from two major global leaders, Sanofi
Pasteur MSD offers the broadest range of vaccines. Amongst others,
the company is the European leader for flu vaccines, and has brought
recent breakthroughs to Europe including the first vaccine to help
prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) diseases, including cervical
cancer. Totally dedicated to vaccines and Europe, Sanofi Pasteur MSD
provides extensive expertise to its customers, including health care
professionals and health authorities.

Dr. Jean-Paul Kress' biography

A French citizen, Jean-Paul Kress holds a MD Degree from Faculté
Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, and a Post-Graduate Degree from Ecole
Normale Supérieure, Paris. He is a board member of LEEM, the French
Pharma Industry Association. Prior to his appointment, Jean-Paul
Kress was Vice President and General Manager for Gilead France, a
company he joined in 2006 as Vice President, US sales and Marketing,
Antiviral Business Unit. Former positions include 9 years at Abbott
in various sales, marketing and General Management positions in the
EU and in the USA as well as positions at Smithkline Beecham and Eli
Lilly, the company where he started his career in the pharmaceutical
industry in 1993.

About MSD

Today's MSD is a global healthcare leader working to help the
world be well. MSD is a tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., with
headquarters in Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. Through our
prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer
care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate
in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We
also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare
through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more
information, visit http://www.msd.com

About Sanofi Pasteur MSD

Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a joint venture between sanofi pasteur, the
vaccine division of Sanofi, and Merck (known as MSD outside the US
and Canada). Combining innovation and expertise, Sanofi Pasteur MSD
is totally dedicated to vaccines and Europe. Sanofi Pasteur MSD is
able to draw on the research expertise of sanofi pasteur and Merck,
together with their teams throughout the world, to focus on the
development of new vaccines for Europe, which aim to extend
protection to other diseases and perfect existing vaccines in order
to improve the adoption, efficacy and tolerability of vaccination.

About Sanofi

Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers,
develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients'
needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with
seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines,
innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging
markets and animal health. Sanofi is listed in Paris and in New York
.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more
than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to
immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world
leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest
range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The
company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back
more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely
dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1
million in research and development. For more information, please
visit: http://www.sanofipasteur.com or http://www.sanofipasteur.us.

Merck Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may
include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the
merger between Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial
and operating results, the combined company's plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and other statements that are not
historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs
and expectations of Merck's management and are subject to significant
risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set
forth in the forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results
to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the
possibility that the expected synergies from the merger of Merck and
Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will not be realized within
the expected time period; the impact of pharmaceutical industry
regulation and health care legislation; the risk that the businesses
will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger
making it more difficult to maintain business and operational
relationships; Merck's ability to accurately predict future market
conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck's patents and
other protections for innovative products; the risk of new and
changing regulation and health policies in the United States and
internationally and the exposure to litigation and/or regulatory
actions. Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause
results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements can be found in Merck's 2010 Annual Report
on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site
(http://www.sec.gov).

Sanofi 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 projections and estimates and their
underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives,
intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results,
events, operations, services, product development and potential, 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's 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, 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 EMA, 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 labeling 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, the
Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities as well
as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC
and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under "Risk
Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2010. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi
does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking information or statements.

ots Originaltext: sanofi-aventis Group
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Merck Contacts: Media: Pam Eisele, +1-908-423-5042; Investor:Carol
Ferguson, +1-908-423-4465; Sanofi Pasteur Contacts: Global
Media:Pascal Barollier, +33-(0)4-37-37-50-38,
pascal.barollier@sanofipasteur.com