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{\pard\sa900\fs50\f0\i Media Release\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Basel, 14 October 2004 \line \line {\b Nine-month 
sales show continued double-digit growth significantly above the market average\line \line } Release 
as PDF: \u160?English (general presentations pdf://mr3q04e.pdf) 
\u160?\u160?\u160?\u160?\u160?German (general presentations pdf://mr3q04d.pdf) \u160?\u160?\u160?\u160?\u160?French (general presentations pdf://mr3q04f.pdf) 
\u160?\u160?\u160?\u160?\u160?Spanish (general presentations pdf://mr3q04sp.pdf)\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Presentation 
as PDF: English only\line  (praesentations pdf://irp3q04e.pdf)\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche 
Group} \line \u8226? Sales in core businesses up by 14%* to 21.9 billion Swiss francs\line \u8226? 
Outlook for full-year 2004: double digit rise* in Pharmaceuticals Division sales and high single-digit 
sales growth* at Roche Diagnostics; significant market share gains; double-digit increase in operating 
profit and substantially higher net income\line \u8226? Sale of Roche Consumer Health to Bayer on 
track\line \line {\b Roche Pharmaceuticals} \line \u8226? Strong 
sales growth continues with 17%* gain, more than twice the global market average\line \u8226? Anticancer 
drug Avastin already among Roche\u8217?s leading products, with roughly 450 million Swiss francs in sales 
in its first seven months on the market\line \u8226? Development milestones:\line - Tarceva: 
filings for approval in advanced non-small cell lung cancer and positive clinical trial data in pancreatic 
cancer\line - Marketing applications filed for new osteoporosis medicine Bonviva/Boniva in 
Switzerland, the European Union and the United States\line \line {\b Roche 
Diagnostics} \line \u8226? Division extends global market lead as sales increase by 8%*, well 
ahead of world market growth\line \u8226? Molecular diagnostics, immunochemistry and diabetes care 
the main growth drivers\line \u8226? AmpliChip CYP450 becomes first chip-based test to be certified 
and launched in Europe\line \line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 * Unless otherwise stated, all 
percentage changes are period-over-period changes and are based on results in local currencies. \par}\line \line \line Commenting 
on the Group\u8217?s performance in the first nine months of 2004, Roche Chairman and CEO Franz B. Humer said, 
\u8216?Roche continued to post significant sales growth through the third quarter of this year. Nine-month 
sales revenues from the Group\u8217?s core businesses totalled 21.9 billion Swiss francs, an increase of 14% 
over the same period a year ago. The extremely successful launch of Avastin, the positive data from 
our clinical trials with Tarceva and the filings now under review by the EU and US authorities for Bonviva/Boniva 
put us in a very solid position for future growth. We expect full-year sales growth for 2004 to be in 
the double digits in the Pharmaceuticals Division and in the high single-digit range for Diagnostics. 
We also expect to see significant market share gains, a double-digit rise in operating profit and a 
substantial increase in net income. Moreover, Roche\u8217?s recent inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability 
Indexes underscores our efforts in the area of sustainable development.\u8217?\line \line \line {\b Roche 
Group} \line \line 
		 20042003% Change% Change
	
		Sales from January to Septemberm CHFmCHFIn CHFIn local currencies
	
		Pharmaceuticals Division16,13214,1921417
	
		        Roche prescription10,5239,5841012
	
		        Genentech prescription3,2872,4663343
	
		        Chugai prescription2,3222,14287
	
		Diagnostics Division5,7635,38278
	
		Roche Group121,89519,5741214
	\line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 1) 
Continuing businesses (the Group\u8217?s core Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics Divisions). Consumer Health 
(OTC) and the Vitamins and Fine Chemicals business are reported as discontinuing businesses.\par}\line \line 
		Consumer Health (OTC)     1,3201,30612
	
		Vitamins and Fine Chemicals2-2,260-100-100
	
		
	
		Roche Group(incl. discontinuing businesses)23,21523,14002
	\line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 2) 
Consolidated for the period up to and including 30 September 2003.\par}\par}{\b Both 
core businesses deliver significant sales growth} \line Sales by the Pharmaceuticals and 
Diagnostics Divisions totalled 21.9 billion Swiss francs in the first nine months of 2004, a rise of 
14% in local currencies (+12% in CHF) compared with the same period a year ago. Sales in both divisions 
grew significantly faster than their respective markets. Total prescription drug sales advanced by 17% 
(+14% in CHF) to 16.1 billion Swiss francs, with positive contributions to growth coming from all divisional 
units (Roche +12%, Genentech +43%, Chugai +7%). Thanks to increasing sales and its steady market share 
gains in recent quarters, Roche now ranks eighth among the world\u8217?s largest pharmaceutical companies. 
In the Diagnostics Division, where sales rose by 8% (+7% in CHF) to 5.8 billion Swiss francs, growth 
was driven primarily by the diabetes care, molecular diagnostics and immunochemistry businesses. The 
sale of Roche Consumer Health to Bayer, announced in July, is on track. \line {\b \line Outlook: 
further market share gains expected for full-year 2004} \line Barring unforeseen events, 
Roche expects full-year sales growth for its Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics Divisions to be in the 
double digits and high single digits, respectively, in local currencies. This will translate into additional 
market share gains for both divisions. Moreover, the Group anticipates a double-digit increase in operating 
profit and a substantial rise in net income. The Pharmaceuticals Division expects to report an operating 
profit margin (before exceptional items) for the full year of around 26% and expects the 2005 operating 
profit margin (before exceptional items) to be broadly in line with 2004 \u8212? despite additional costs 
for the launch and development of new products and the onset of generic competition for Rocephin in 
the United States. The Diagnostics Division is on track to achieve an operating profit margin of around 
23% before exceptional items in 2006. Roche also reaffirms that the Group\u8217?s operating profit margin 
will be above 22% this year, two years earlier than originally anticipated.\line \line \line {\b Pharmaceuticals 
Division} \line \line {\b Sales grow well ahead 
of the 
market} \line The Pharmaceuticals Division posted strong gains in the first nine months 
of 2004 as sales for the period rose by 17% (+14% in CHF). This was well above a global market growth 
rate of roughly 7%. Sales in the third quarter were up by 17%, outpacing divisional sales growth for 
the second quarter and overall market growth as well. North American sales increased by 24%, outperforming 
the market (+8%) by a significant margin. Sales in Europe grew twice as fast as the market average, 
while Chugai\u8217?s sales in Japan advanced at more than three times the market growth rate. In Latin America 
sales grew by 13%, lagging slightly behind the overall growth rate as the region\u8217?s markets continued 
their recovery. The division recorded sustained, solid growth in its most important therapeutic areas, 
oncology (+31%), virology (+66%) and transplantation medicine (+13%). Overall sales of Rocephin were 
up slightly. \line \line {\b Oncology: new and established products deliver 
strong growth} \line MabThera/Rituxan, for non-Hodgkin\u8217?s lymphoma (NHL), continues to 
deliver strong results (+31%) and is experiencing an acceleration of growth in Europe. \line \line Avastin 
generated a significant 452 million Swiss francs in sales in the first seven months following its approval 
by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for first-line use in metastatic colon cancer. A recommendation 
for approval in the European Union is expected by the end of the year. \line \line Herceptin, 
which is prescribed for advanced breast cancer, once again posted strong growth in all key markets (+25%). 
Sales of Xeloda (\u8211?1%), for breast and colorectal cancer, continued to be negatively impacted by high 
wholesaler inventory levels in the United States. However, wholesaler inventories of the product are 
starting to normalise, and US sales of Xeloda have recently begun to pick up again. In Europe and Japan 
Xeloda posted solid growth rates of 30% and 219%, respectively. Kytril gained additional market share 
in key markets as sales rose by a healthy 8%. \line \line Marketing applications 
for the new cancer drug Tarceva in advanced non-small cell lung cancer were filed with the European 
and US regulatory authorities in August. Recently announced clinical trial data have also shown that 
Tarceva confers a significant survival benefit in pancreatic cancer. \line \line {\b Virology: 
hepatitis C combination therapy continues strong performance} \line The drug combination 
Pegasys plus Copegus, for hepatitis C, reinforced its market lead as sales for the period doubled. Applications 
for supplementary approval of Pegasys in hepatitis B have been submitted to many world regulatory agencies. 
In addition, the FDA recently announced that it had granted priority review to the filing for Pegasys 
in patients co-infected with hepatitis C and HIV. \line \line Viracept sales declined 
by 16% as a result of continued competitive pressure and the price reductions Roche has granted in least 
developed and emerging market countries. Adoption of the anti-HIV medicine Fuzeon into treatment regimens 
is steadily increasing, and nine-month sales of the product exceeded 120 million Swiss francs. In early 
October Fuzeon was awarded the International Prix Galien, the highest accolade for pharmaceutical innovation. 
Roche is the only company to have received the prize three times.\line \line {\b Transplantation 
medicine: CellCept maintains its lead} \line With sales up by 12%, CellCept continues 
to post double-digit growth and remains the cornerstone of immunosuppressive therapy. Inventory burn 
off had an effect on US sales, however. Combined sales of Valcyte and Cymevene also increased again, 
advancing by an impressive 21%. \line \line {\b Osteoporosis: applications 
filed for Bonviva/Boniva} \line Applications for approval of once-monthly oral Bonviva/Boniva 
for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis have been filed with the authorities in Switzerland, 
the European Union and the United States.\line \line {\b Anemia: development 
of CERA on track} \line Combined sales of Roche\u8217?s anemia products NeoRecormon and Epogin 
were up by 1%. NeoRecormon maintained its leadership position in all its markets despite continued competitive 
pricing pressures in this therapeutic area. The development programme for CERA, Roche\u8217?s novel medicine 
for the correction of anemia, is moving ahead as planned. Patients are currently being recruited into 
phase III trials of the drug in renal anemia.\line \line {\b Primary care: 
Tamiflu outperforms} \line Sales of Tamiflu rose by +107%, primarily as a result of cooperation 
between Roche and various government agencies to create stockpiles of the medicine for use in the event 
of an influenza pandemic.\line \line \line {\b Diagnostics 
Division} \line \line {\b Above-market sales growth 
continues} \line The 
Diagnostics Division reinforced its market lead in the first nine months of 2004 as sales grew by 8% 
(+7% in CHF). The division\u8217?s molecular diagnostics, immunochemistry and diabetes care businesses were 
major contributors to this above-market growth. Once again Roche Diagnostics posted double-digit gains 
in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Iberia. The division has continued to significantly expand its presence 
in Asian markets through a variety of initiatives, including domestic production of Accu-Chek glucose 
meters in China. In the EMEA region (Europe-Middle East-Africa), where Roche Diagnostics already enjoys 
an above-average market share, sales grew at a high single-digit rate, significantly ahead of the market. 
After taking account of the divestment of the hematology product line and the OPTI Systems and non-clinical 
drugs of abuse testing businesses, US sales growth was also in the high single-digit range, well above 
the growth rate for the market as a whole.\line \line {\b Diabetes Care: 
new products with tremendous growth potential} \line Roche Diabetes Care extended its 
market lead with a sales increase of 10%. Accu-Chek D-TRONplus, the first insulin pump to carry the 
Accu-Chek name, was unveiled at this year\u8217?s European Association for the Study of Diabetes conference, 
and a roll-out is now getting under way. Accu-Chek Pocket Compass 2.0, a software package for personal 
digital assistants, is another product expected to stimulate steady growth. It is the first commercial 
diabetes management software that allows users to download and combine data from both an insulin pump 
and a blood glucose meter. The new possibilities this opens up for analysing data will benefit frequent 
testers, in particular, enabling them to achieve even better glycemic control.\line \line {\b Near 
Patient Testing: market lead strengthened} \line Roche Near Patient Testing reported sales 
growth of 3%. In the primary care segment (compact systems for doctors\u8217? offices), the Accutrend line 
of cholesterol testing products posted especially strong double-digit sales growth. Sales of coagulation 
monitoring products also continued to grow at a double-digit rate, despite mounting competition. The 
global roll-out of Omni S, a multiparameter analyser for the hospital point-of-care segment, has been 
successfully completed.\line \line {\b Centralized Diagnostics: moving 
towards leadership in immunochemistry} \line With overall sales up by 6%, Roche Centralized 
Diagnostics continued to grow faster than the market. Immunochemistry sales, which increased at an above-average 
rate of more than 20%, were the major contributor to growth. The acquisition of new licenses for the 
growing HIV assay segment and the launch of the Elecsys HIV combi assay in June have brought Roche a 
major step closer to its goal of achieving market leadership in immunochemistry.\line \line {\b Molecular 
Diagnostics: growth across the board} \line Sales growth at Roche Molecular Diagnostics 
remained strong, at 13%. An agreement has been signed extending Roche\u8217?s exclusive blood screening contract 
with the Japanese Red Cross for an additional four years. Sales of tests for Chlamydia and gonorrhea 
were up sharply. Further progress was made towards obtaining reimbursement approval in Europe for the 
Amplicor HPV test kit for human papillomavirus; the kit has already received CE (Conformit\u233? Europ\u233?enne) 
certification. Roche also consolidated its share of the fiercely competitive virology market by launching 
Cobas TaqMan and Cobas TaqMan 48. With the launch of AmpliChip CYP450, Roche became the first company 
to introduce a chip-based test for broad diagnostic use. In September the chip received the necessary 
CE mark for use as an in-vitro diagnostic product in Europe.\line \line {\b Applied 
Science: growth continues to outpace the market } \line Roche Applied Science continued 
to experience healthy growth, with sales for the period advancing by 9%. Sales of LightCycler reagents 
for automated PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing were a major growth driver, as were product sales 
to industrial customers. Preparations for the European launch of a new, improved LightCycler instrument 
and an additional, modified LightCycler specifically for universities by the end of 2004 are moving 
ahead on schedule. \line \line Annex (general presentations pdf://mr3q04ane.pdf)\line \line \line {\b Additional 
information} \line - Annual Results 2004: 2 February 2005\line \line \line {\i Disclaimer\line This 
release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may be identified 
by words such as \u8220?believes\u8221?, \u8220?expects\u8221?, \u8220?anticipates\u8221?, \u8220?projects\u8221?, \u8220?intends\u8221?, \u8220?should\u8221?, \u8220?seeks\u8221?, \u8220?estimates\u8221?, 
\u8220?future\u8221? or similar expressions or by discussion of strategy, goals, plans or intentions. Various factors 
may cause actual results to differ materially in the future from those reflected in forward-looking 
statements contained in this presentation among others: (1) pricing and product initiatives of competitors; 
(2) legislative and regulatory developments and economic conditions; (3) delay or inability in obtaining 
regulatory approvals or bringing products to market; (4) fluctuations in currency exchange rates and 
general financial market conditions; (5) uncertainties in the discovery, development or marketing of 
new products or new uses of existing products; (6) increased government pricing pressures; (7) interruptions 
in production; (8) loss of or inability to obtain adequate protection for intellectual property rights; 
(9) litigation; (10) loss of key executives or other employees; and (11) adverse publicity or news coverage.} 
{\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}
}