Investor Update

Basel, 20 November 2006

NeoRecormon receives positive opinion in Europe for convenient once weekly treatment of anaemia in cancer patients with solid tumours

Roche announced today that it has received a positive recommendation from the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for a convenient  once weekly subcutaneous dose of  its anti-anaemia agent NeoRecormon 30,000 IU in solid cancers. This represents an important amendment as cancer patients on chemotherapy currently are recommended to receive NeoRecormon three times per week according to the label.

The NeoRecormon 30,000 IU once weekly regimen will allow physicians and patients to benefit from a simple dosing schedule which helps to provide optimal care without adding to the burden of cancer treatment.

Final marketing approval is still to be awaited from the European Commission. The opinion is based on a submission dossier which included data from the BRAVE (BReast cancer - Anaemia and the Value of Erythropoietin) study, which was conducted in women with metastatic breast cancer receiving chemotherapy.

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About NeoRecormon
NeoRecormon (epoetin beta) has been prescribed for over 16 years for the treatment of anaemia in patients with chronic kidney disease and cancer. Treating anaemia increases red blood cell numbers and oxygen levels allowing the body to function effectively, which improves patients’ quality of life and may reduce morbidity and mortality. NeoRecormon is one of Roche’s leading biotechnology achievements and market leader in the countries in which it is sold. More than 1 million patient years of experience have been gained with the product around the world and this widespread use has confirmed both the benefits NeoRecormon brings to patients and established its well defined safety record.  Physicians can choose to prescribe NeoRecormon via intravenous or convenient subcutaneous routes of administration.  

About Anaemia
Anaemia affects up to 95% of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

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It can develop as a result of the cancer itself or as a consequence of its treatment. For most patients anaemia manifests itself as an extreme and overwhelming fatigue that adds to the burden of their illness. Anaemia and this fatigue have a significant impact on quality of life and long-term outcomes for patients with cancer.

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Even though there are effective treatments, anaemia often remains under-diagnosed and under-treated. In Europe approximately 60% (two out of every three) cancer patients do not receive treatment for anaemia.

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About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people’s health and quality of life. Roche is a world leader in diagnostics, the leading supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market leader in virology. In 2005 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totalled 27.3 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.2 billion Swiss francs. Roche employs roughly 70,000 people in 150 countries and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Additional information about the Roche Group is available on the Internet (www.roche.com).

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References:
1  Coiffier B at al. EHA Abstract 2004
2  M. Marangolo et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2005 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings. Vol 23, No. 16S, Part I of II (June 1 Supplement), 2005: 8141.
3  Groopman & Itri. Natl Cancer Inst 1999;91:1616–34
4  Ludwig H. Future Oncol. 2 (1): 21-38 (2006).
5  Ludwig H et al. Eur J Cancer 2004; 40: 2293-2306.