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{\pard\sa900\fs50\f0\i Media Release\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Basel, 22 July 2003 \line \line {\b Roche expands 
the strength of its product franchise in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Transplantation} \line Roche 
acquires Cardion\u8217?s promising IL-15 antagonist\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Roche and Cardion announced today 
that Roche will acquire Cardion\u8217?s human Interleukin IL-15 {\b C} ytokine {\b R} eceptor 
{\b B} locker (CRB-15). CRB 15 is currently at pre-clinical stage as a treatment for Rheumatoid 
Arthritis (RA) and Transplantation. Under the terms of the agreement, Roche will be responsible for 
development and worldwide commercialisation of CRB-15 and will receive Cardion\u8217?s intellectual property 
rights to CRB-15. \par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 \u8220?Roche is a leader in transplantation and through this acquisition, 
Roche will be able to build on its existing transplantation portfolio as well as on its exciting pipeline 
of drugs in development to treat RA. These substances represent innovative therapies to treat these 
diseases and will consolidate Roche\u8217?s position in these key medical areas.\u8221? stated William M. Burns, 
Head of Roche\u8217?s Pharmaceuticals Division.\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 \u8221?Roche is a perfect fit for CRB-15 
and its successful future development. We are enthusiastic about this deal and convinced that the huge 
potential of CRB-15 in RA and in Transplantation, as well as in other potential disease indications, 
will be optimally realized by Roche\u8221? says Dr. Manfred R\u252?diger, Chief Scientific Officer of Cardion.\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Terms 
of the agreement} \line Under the terms of the agreement, Cardion will receive an initial 
payment as well as additional milestone based payments which could reach up to $ 90 million if all development 
event milestones are met. In addition, Roche will pay Cardion royalties based upon future product sales.\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b About 
Rheumatoid Arthritis} \line RA, a chronic autoimmune disease affects almost 6 million 
people around the world, is a debilitating disease that hinders the daily activities of sufferers. In 
Europe, RA affects up to 2 million people. It is characterised by inflammation of multiple joints, cartilage 
loss and bone erosion, which leads to joint destruction and ultimately reduced joint function. Additionally, 
since RA is a systemic disease, it can have effects in other tissues, such as lungs, eyes and bone marrow. 
Fewer than 50% of patients diagnosed with RA can continue to work or function normally on a day to day 
basis after ten years.\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Research suggests that an imbalance between cytokines 
that promote inflammation and those that perform healthy functions within the immune system play a key 
role in the development of many autoimmune diseases. In RA, several cytokines, including interleukin 
15 appear to contribute to the ongoing destruction of cartilage, bone, and other joint related tissues.\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche 
in RA} \line Roche is developing MabThera (rituximab) for the treatment of RA. MabThera 
is Roche\u8217?s number one drug, and currently indicated for use in the treatment of the most common form 
of blood cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). In addition, Roche in-licensed Chugai\u8217?s promising new 
Rheumatoid Arthritis product MRA (Phase II) which it will jointly develop and promote with Chugai.\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b About 
Transplantation} \line Organ transplantation is a well-established and often life-saving 
treatment for patients with organ failure. The most commonly transplanted solid organs are the kidney, 
heart, liver, pancreas, lungs and intestines. Double transplants may be carried out in which a patient 
receives two organs simultaneously, such as heart and lung or kidney and pancreas. Surgeons also transplant 
tissues including corneas, bone marrow, cartilage, skin, bone and heart valves. \par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche 
in Transplantation} \line Roche is strongly committed to improving the long-term outcomes 
of transplantation and enhancing the quality of life of transplant recipients. Roche has developed three 
innovative therapies that improve graft and post-transplant health: CellCept, the largest selling branded 
immunosuppressive in North America, offers both physicians and patients the possibility of an effective 
long term immunosuppressive regimen with low toxicity. Zenapax prevents the acute rejection of the newly 
transplanted organ, and Cymevene/Cytovene/Valcyte, developed for the prevention and treatment of cytomegalovirus, 
a dangerous viral infection associated with transplantation. ISA247, a novel calcineurin inhibitor is 
in Phase II clinical development as an immunosuppressive therapy in organ transplantation and in the 
treatment of auto immune diseases. This compound may offer the potential of better efficacy with lower 
toxicities for transplant recipients. In addition, Roche supports basic research in transplantation 
with its funding of the independent Roche Organ Transplantation Research Fund (ROTRF), which directly 
supports innovative research projects attracting new researchers with innovative and novel scientific 
ideas to meet unmet medical needs in solid organ transplantation.\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Roche\u8217?s transplantation 
portfolio generated total sales of 1.5 billion Swiss Francs in 2002, which represents a 16% increase 
over the previous year. \par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b About CRB-15 } \line CRB-15 
is Cardion\u8217?s proprietary, patent-protected therapeutic protein targeted against the interleukin-15 receptor 
with potential therapeutic application in inflammatory/autoimmune disorders and transplant rejection. 
CRB-15 targets the receptor for interleukin-15 (IL-15), the most upstream growth and survival factor 
for many immune cells. By virtue of its novel mechanism of action CRB-15 is very well positioned to 
combine high selectivity with high potency. CRB-15 was invented in the laboratory of Dr.Terry Strom 
at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Boston. Cardion acquired CRB-15 through the acquisition of 
Tolerance Pharmaceuticals Inc. in 2001. Since then, and in close collaboration with Dr. Strom\u8217?s laboratory, 
a comprehensive preclinical data package has been obtained both in vitro and in a variety of animal 
models, validating the immunomodulatory potential of CRB-15.\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b About 
Roche } \line Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world\u8217?s leading 
innovation-driven healthcare groups. Its core businesses are pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche 
is number one in the global diagnostics market, the leading supplier of pharmaceuticals for cancer and 
a leader in virology and transplantation. As a supplier of products and services for the prevention, 
diagnosis and treatment of disease, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people\u8217?s 
health and quality of life. Roche employs roughly 62,000 people in 150 countries. The Group has alliances 
and research and development agreements with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests 
in Genentech and Chugai. \par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b About Cardion} \line CARDION 
AG, headquartered in Erkrath, Germany, with a subsidiary in Boston, is a therapeutic product discovery 
and development company with biological drug expertise. The company is involved in the development of 
novel, potential first-in-class therapeutics for broad applications in the treatment of inflammatory/autoimmune 
disorders and related disease conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn\u8217?s disease, diabetes and 
transplant rejection as well as targeted therapies of immune system cell cancers such as multiple myeloma. 
Cardion was founded in 1996 and completed its first equity financing in late 1997. Since then, the company 
has raised more than \u8364? 60 million through its most recent financing round completed in September 2002.\par}
{\pard \par}
{\pard\sb180\f1\fs22 {\b F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd}\line 4070 Basel\line Switzerland \par}
{\pard\sb180\f1\fs22 Corporate Communications\line Roche Group Media Relations \par}
{\pard\sb180\f1\fs22 Tel. +41 61 688 88 88\line Fax +41 61 688 27 75\line www.roche.com \par}
}