Aventis Pasteur Ready to Meet Nation's Needs for Tetanus and Diphtheria Vaccine; CDC Reinstates Routine Td Booster Schedule.

Business Editors/Medical Writers

SWIFTWATER, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)

June 20, 2002- Aventis Pasteur announced today that it has produced a sufficient supply of the adult and adolescent vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria, Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids Adsorbed For Adult Use (Td), to meet the nations critical care and routine booster needs.

According to the June 21, 2002, issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), this increase in supply has prompted the CDC to lift its year-long deferral, enabling physicians to now provide patients with routine Td boosters.

Aventis Pasteur has been working for the past year to successfully end the national shortage of Td vaccine, said Michael Decker, MD, MPH, vice president, scientific and medical affairs at Aventis Pasteur. Aventis Pasteurs efforts to relieve the shortage is an indication of the companys ability to meet the nations need for Td vaccine now and in the future.

With the return of ample tetanus and diphtheria vaccine supply, people who were asked to delay Td boosters during the last year should schedule appointments with their doctors to catch up, said William Schaffner, MD, professor and chairman, department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University and a national expert in infectious diseases. Furthermore, anyone who cant remember the last time they received a Td booster should call their doctor and ask if they are due to receive a booster.

Immunization is the best way to protect against tetanus and diphtheria infection in the United States since both diseases are vaccine-preventable. Adults and adolescents require a booster shot every 10 years throughout life to maintain protection against tetanus and diptheria. Almost all reported cases of tetanus are in persons who have either never been vaccinated, or who completed a primary series, but have not had a booster in the preceding 10 years. A recent study showed that less than half of Americans 20 years and older have adequate protection against both tetanus and diphtheria2.

The combination Td vaccine should be given to adults and adolescents and is not the same vaccine that is given to protect infants and children against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis as part of the childhood immunization series.

Aventis Pasteur became the primary national supplier of the tetanus and diphtheria vaccine last year when another manufacturer abruptly withdrew from the market. Since then, Aventis Pasteur increased production capacity so that it could supply the national market. During the shortage, the company worked closely with the CDC and medical organizations to ensure that tetanus vaccine always remained available for critical needs.

Health care providers can place orders for Td vaccine online at www.vaccineshoppe.com or by calling 1-800-VACCINE (1-800-822-2463).

Aventis: A World Leader in Pharmaceuticals Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids Adsorbed for Adult Use is produced and marketed by Aventis Pasteur Inc., which is located in Swiftwater, PA, and is a subsidiary of 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.

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 a subsidiary of Aventis SA.

Aventis (NYSE: AVE) is dedicated to improving life by treating and preventing human disease through the discovery and development of innovative pharmaceutical products. Aventis focuses on prescription drugs for important therapeutic areas such as oncology, cardiology, diabetes and respiratory disorders as well as on human vaccines. In 2001, Aventis generated sales of 17.7 billion euros ($15.5 billion), invested approximately 3 billion euros ($2.6 billion) in research and development and employed approximately 75,000 people in its core business. Aventis corporate headquarters are in Strasbourg, France. For more information, please visit: www.aventis.com.

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.

Note to Editors: Full prescribing information is available

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    CONTACT: Aventis Pasteur
             Len Lavenda, 570/839-4446
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    KEYWORD: PENNSYLVANIA
    INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICAL PHARMACEUTICAL
    SOURCE: Aventis Pasteur