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{\pard\sa900\fs50\f0\i Media Release\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Basel, 5 February 2007\line \line {\b \line Roche 
continues to strengthen Research and Development} \line Focus on Disease Biology Areas 
to enhance alignment of R&D\line \line Today Roche announced that it will be 
introducing a new operating model for its global research and development (R&D) activities, organised 
around Disease Biology Areas (DBA). Each DBA will cover the whole range of activities - from R&D 
to strategic marketing - in a specific therapeutic field. The Disease Biology Area Leadership Teams 
(DBLTs) will be co-located in Basel, Nutley and Palo Alto. In an integrated approach, they will seamlessly 
manage compounds from drug discovery through to medical proof of concept, with oversight through to 
the market.\line  \line Roche\u8217?s R&D efforts continue to focus on clinically 
differentiated medicines. DBAs will be created for the following five therapeutic areas:\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Oncology, 
DBLT based in Nutley, New Jersey, USA\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Virology, DBLT based in Palo 
Alto, California, USA\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Inflammation, DBLT based in Palo Alto, California, 
USA\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Metabolism, DBLT based in Basel, Switzerland\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Central 
nervous system, DBLT based in Basel, Switzerland\par}\line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 This 
new model is designed to ensure that Roche\u8217?s steadily expanding R&D operation is suitably equipped 
to meet increasingly complex requirements. By simplifying and accelerating the multiple decision-making 
processes involved, the model will be more efficient and effective in translating research activity 
in each therapeutic area into clinically differentiated medicines. It will also enable the Group\u8217?s growing 
number of development projects to be integrated more quickly.\line \line As innovation 
continues to be at the core of its activities, the Roche Group expects further increases in 2007 and 
beyond, not only in R&D staff numbers but also in its R&D budget, currently running at approximately 
6 billion Swiss francs ($4.8bn).\line \line "Innovation and the creativity 
of our 
people will remain the basis of our success", says Roche Chairman and CEO, Franz B. Humer. "We 
have 
significantly increased our investments in R&D over past years and will continue to do so. By combining 
existing expertise in Disease Biology Areas, we will further enhance the optimal conditions for bringing 
future innovations to fruition faster and more efficiently - with clear benefits for patients and doctors".\line \line {\b Research 
sites around the world} \line In addition to Basel, Nutley and Palo Alto, all other current 
research sites in the Roche network will continue to play an important role in creating innovation. 
Therapeutic protein research will be intensified at the Penzberg site in Germany, and in Shanghai, China, 
Roche will expand its R&D activities, supporting the DBAs world wide. Indeed the wide variety of 
functional experience will continue to support our endeavours across the company.\line \line {\b Alignment 
of therapeutic areas} \line Each of the five DBAs will be managed by a cross-functional 
leadership team with representatives from Discovery, Clinical Research and Exploratory Development, 
Clinical Development and Strategic Marketing co-located at one site. In their own therapeutic areas 
these teams will decide which medicines to develop and along which most efficient path. The five teams 
will report to the newly created Strategic Portfolio Committee, which is made up of senior Pharma Division 
managers.\line \line "We\u8217?re taking the opportunity to refocus at a time of 
economic 
strength on the challenges that lie ahead", says William M. Burns, Pharmaceuticals Division CEO. 
"New 
structures and flatter hierarchies will enable us to be more aligned and focused, take decisions faster, 
implement ideas more rapidly, and bring more new products through the pipeline".\line \line {\b Personnel 
changes} \line The new model involves leadership changes in R&D.\line \line {\b Jonathan 
Knowles} , President of Global Research will focus on his role as Head of Group Research. In this 
role he will be in charge of coordinating research across Roche Pharmaceuticals, Roche Diagnostics, 
Chugai, Genentech and other partners.\line \line {\b Lee Babiss} , 
currently Research Site Head in Nutley, has been appointed to the position of Head of Roche Pharma Research. 
This newly created role will focus on leading and managing Research within Roche Pharma, including research 
sites in Basel, Nutley, Palo Alto, Penzberg and Shanghai.\line \line {\b Eduard 
Holdener}  will, as previously announced, retire at the end of 2007. His role as Head of Global 
Pharmaceutical Development was taken over on 1 January 2007 by Jean-Jacques Garaud, who, like Lee Babiss, 
reports to William M. Burns and is also a member of the Pharmaceuticals Executive Committee. Until his 
retirement, Eduard Holdener will, as Chief Medical Officer, continue to have direct responsibility for 
Drug Safety and Quality Audit and for setting up the Development Centre in Shanghai.\line \line {\b Investment, 
innovation network and personalised medicine} \line Roche\u8217?s recent R&D investment 
has risen to 6 billion Swiss francs ($4.8bn) per annum, with research staff numbers exceeding 6500. 
Roche will increase its R&D investment yet again this year and expects a commensurate boost in the 
number of its R&D staff. It will continue to pursue its unique R&D network strategy which, together 
with Genentech and Chugai and numerous alliances worldwide, provides broad access to innovation. Cooperation 
between the Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics Divisions in the area of personalised medicine will be further 
strengthened, thus consolidating the Roche Group\u8217?s leading position in this area.\line \line {\b Roche 
pipeline highlights} \line Roche\u8217?s rich and promising pharmaceutical pipeline includes 
as of September 30, 2006, 61 new molecular entities and 54 additional indications in development addressing 
major unmet medical needs. The growth drivers in the near future are expected to come from the areas 
of oncology, autoimmune diseases and metabolic disorders.\line \line {\b Oncology} \line Roche 
possesses one of the strongest oncology pipelines in the industry. With 32 projects in research, 41 
in development * and numerous additional indications for products already marketed, Roche addresses 
all major tumour categories and offers cancer drugs for both early intervention and supportive care.\line \line {\b Inflammation} \line The 
Roche Group has invested in a broad autoimmune disease portfolio and pipeline focused on clinically 
differentiated compounds (14 projects in research and 13 in development*).\line Two first-in-class 
molecules (MabThera/Rituxan, already on the market; Actemra, in phase III) with novel mechanisms of 
action provide benefits for patients responding inadequately to current therapeutic options, or for 
whom these therapies may offer an excellent first choice in the future.\line \line {\b Metabolism} \line Also 
in the pipeline are numerous potential medicines for vascular and metabolic disorders (29 projects in 
research and 11 in development*), including treatments for diabetes which, together with Roche\u8217?s broad 
Diabetes Care portfolio in Diagnostics, will contribute to the company's growth over the coming years.\line \line \line For 
further pipeline information, see Roche\u8217?s 
updated pipeline chart on 7th February 2007.\line \line \line {\b About 
Roche} \line Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world\u8217?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\u8217?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. 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. \line \line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 All trademarks used or mentioned in this 
release are protected by law.\par}\par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 * 
Status of September 30, 2006\par}\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}
}