Copaxone Approved for Seven Days Room Temperature Storage in 16 European Countries; Makes Treatment More Convenient for Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 16, 2002

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd., (NASDAQ: TEVA) and Aventis (NYSE: AVE), announced that the application for seven days room temperature storage of Copaxone(R) (glatiramer acetate) has been approved across sixteen European countries.

As Copaxone(R) can now be kept unrefrigerated for this period, it offers greater convenience for patients.

With seven-day room temperature Copaxone(R) MS patients have more choices for storing their medication, and fewer precautions to take when traveling or pursuing activities outside of their homes. Christina Alba Ansorge, an opera singer who has been using Copaxone(R) for the past three years commented: "As a performer, I spend a lot of time on tour. Transporting and storing my Copaxone(R) will now be much easier".

With the UK acting as the Reference Member State, additional data on Copaxone(R) was submitted to and approved by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA). Under the Mutual Recognition Procedure (MRP), this authorization has been recognized by an additional 15 European countries.

Copaxone(R) is indicated for the reduction in frequency of relapses in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. Copaxone(R) has demonstrated continued efficacy in reducing relapse rates over eight years, and has shown a significant effect on MRI monitored activity and burden of disease.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries ,Ltd., and Aventis are committed to improving the quality of life of people with MS and to providing practical solutions for the MS community. The approval of seven-day room temperature Copaxone(R) will offer MS patients in Europe the same proven efficacy, with the added benefit of greater freedom and flexibility when scheduling their daily activities. Copaxone(R)is now approved in 40 countries worldwide, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, Israel and all the European countries. In Europe, Copaxone(R)is marketed by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Aventis. In North America Copaxone(R)is marketed by Teva Neuroscience.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., headquartered in Israel, is among the top 35 pharmaceutical in the world. More than 80 percent of Teva's sales are in North America and Europe. The company develops, manufactures and markets generic and branded human pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Teva's innovative R&D focuses on developing novel drugs for diseases of the central nervous system. For more information, please visit: www.tevapharm.com

Aventis 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 EUR 17.7 billion, invested approx. EUR 3 billion in research and development and employed approx. 75,000 people in its core business. Aventis corporate headquarters are in Strasbourg, France. For more information, please visit: www.aventis.com

Safe Harbor Statement under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release contains forward-looking statements, which express the current beliefs and expectations of management. Such statements are based on current expectations and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause Teva's future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include Teva's ability to successfully develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products, the introduction of competitive generic products, the impact of competition from brand-name companies that sell their own generic products or successfully extend the exclusivity period of their branded products, Teva's ability to rapidly integrate the operations of acquired businesses, the availability of product liability coverage in the current insurance market, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and pending legislation that could affect the pharmaceutical industry, the difficulty of predicting U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") and other regulatory authority approvals, the regulatory environment and changes in the health policies and structure of various countries, acceptance and demand for new pharmaceutical products and new therapies, uncertainties regarding market acceptance of innovative products newly launched, currently being sold or in development, the impact of restructuring of clients, reliance on strategic alliances, exposure to product liability claims, dependence on patent and other protections for innovative products, fluctuations in currency, exchange and interest rates, operating results and other factors that are discussed in Teva's Annual Report on Form 20-F and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.