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{\pard\sa900\fs50\f0\i Media Release\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Basel, 16 November 2007\line \line {\b Avastin 
receives positive opinion in Europe for first-line treatment of patients with advanced kidney cancer} \line - 
Avastin offers patients the chance to live twice as long without their disease advancing\line - 
Avastin now recommended in four major cancer types\line \line Roche announced today 
that the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive recommendation 
for Avastin (bevacizumab) for the first-line treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), 
the most common form of advanced kidney cancer. The CHMP\u8217?s decision is based on data from the pivotal 
phase III AVOREN trial, which showed that adding Avastin to interferon (IFN) gave patients with advanced 
RCC the chance to live twice as long without their disease progressing (\u8220?progression free survival\u8221?) 
compared with interferon alone. It is the first recommendation by a regulatory authority for approval 
of Avastin for kidney cancer. It follows approvals of Avastin in colorectal (US, EU, Japan), breast 
(EU) and lung cancer (EU/US). \line \line \u8220?The CHMP opinion is encouraging news 
for European patients suffering from a particularly aggressive and debilitating disease,\u8221? commented 
William M. Burns, CEO of Division Roche Pharma. \u8220?It\u8217?s another important step in our comprehensive Avastin 
development program \u8211? the biggest ever clinical trial program in oncology. Thanks to its successful 
and broad use in colon, lung and breast cancer, European doctors and clinics are already familiar with 
Avastin. We are therefore confident that we can bring Avastin to patients with kidney cancer very quickly 
once it has been approved by the European authorities.\u8221?\line \line \u8220?The AVOREN study 
has shown us that Avastin is an effective and safe treatment for patients with kidney cancer\u8221? said Professor 
Bernard Escudier, Head of Immunotherapy and Innovative Therapy Unit, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Paris, 
France and Principal Investigator of the pivotal AVOREN study. \u8220?This announcement is very significant 
because this drug offers new therapeutic options in advanced kidney cancer, where chemotherapy and radiotherapy 
are not as effective as in other cancers.\u8221?\line \line On an annual basis, in excess 
of 200,000 people worldwide will receive a diagnosis of kidney cancer and more than 100,000 people worldwide 
will lose their lives to the disease{\super 1} . These figures can be expected to increase 
as the number of people suffering from cancer in general rises by 50%, as recently estimated by the 
WHO{\super 2} .\line \line {\b Avastin Approval Status} \line Kidney 
cancer is the fourth cancer type in which Avastin has demonstrated survival benefits. Data from the 
comprehensive Avastin cancer clinical development programme have resulted in approvals in colorectal, 
breast, and lung: \par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - February 2004 (US) and January 
2005 (EU) \u8211? first-line treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - June 
2006 (US) \u8211? second-line treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - October 
2006 (US) \u8211? first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) \par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - March 
2007 (EU) \u8211? first-line treatment in patients with metastatic breast cancer\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - April 
2007 (Japan) \u8211? treatment in patients with advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - August 
2007 (EU) \u8211? first-line treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC\par}\line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b About 
the AVOREN Study} \line The AVOREN study is a randomised, controlled, double-blind phase 
III study that included 649 patients from 101 study sites across 18 countries. In the study patients 
received treatment with either Avastin and interferon alpha-2a or placebo and interferon alpha-2a, a 
standard of care in advanced kidney cancer.\line \line The results of the AVOREN 
trial showed that by adding Avastin to IFN (a current standard of care): \par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Progression 
free survival was almost doubled from a median of 5.4 to 10.2 months\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Tumour 
response was significantly increased from 12.8% with interferon alone to 31.4% when Avastin was added\par}{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Dose-reduction 
of IFN did not appear to affect the efficacy of the combination of Avastin (based on PFS event free 
rates over time, as shown by a sub-group analysis)\par}\line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 The 
study also showed a trend towards improved overall survival; however, the survival data are still pending. 
No new or unexpected adverse events were observed. \line \line An interim analysis 
of AVOREN was performed in December 2006 and the benefits provided by Avastin were so positive that 
the Drug Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) recommended that the trial was unblinded and all patients were 
offered treatment with Avastin. The study demonstrated, for the first time that Avastin also benefits 
patients in combination with an immunotherapeutic, the class of drugs to which IFN belongs.\line \line {\b About 
Kidney Cancer} \line Kidney cancer is more common in men than women (approximately 62% 
of patients with RCC are male) and incidence increases with age{\super 1} .\line \line As 
the most common type of kidney cancer, RCC accounts for nine out of ten cases of the disease. Within 
this cancer type, there are several sub-types of cancer based on looking at the cells under a microscope. 
Clear cell renal cell cancer is the most common type. If RCC is diagnosed at an early stage when the 
cancer is still confined to the kidney, the 5 year survival rates are relatively good at 60 to 75%. 
However, if diagnosis is made at a later stage and the cancer has already spread to distant sites the 
5 year survival rate is less than 5%{\super 3} . Unfortunately, because kidney cancer 
is often asymptomatic, the majority of patients are diagnosed at later disease stages.\line \line Treatment 
options for patients with kidney cancer are limited. Surgical removal of part or the entire kidney forms 
the mainstay of treatment but is only really successful in early stage disease. In later stage disease, 
treatment is more often employed with a view of controlling the cancer and improving associated symptoms. 
\line \line {\b About Avastin} \line Avastin is the first 
treatment that inhibits angiogenesis \u8211? the growth of a network of blood vessels that supply nutrients 
and oxygen to cancerous tissues. Avastin targets a naturally occurring protein called vascular endothelial 
growth factor (VEGF), a key mediator of angiogenesis, thus choking off the blood supply that is essential 
for the growth of the tumour and its spread throughout the body (metastasis).\line \line Avastin 
has now demonstrated a progression-free and/or overall survival benefit for patients in four cancer 
types, namely: colorectal, breast, lung, and renal cell cancer.\line \line Roche 
and Genentech are pursuing a comprehensive clinical programme investigating the use of Avastin in various 
tumour types (including colorectal, breast, lung, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, renal cell carcinoma, 
and others) and different settings (advanced and adjuvant i.e. post-operation). The total development 
programme is expected to include over 40,000 patients worldwide.\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 the world\u8217?s 
biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, 
diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people\u8217?s 
health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and 
transplantation, a market leader in virology and active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune 
diseases, inflammation, metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2006, sales 
by the Pharmaceuticals Division totalled 33.3 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted 
sales of 8.7 billion Swiss francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous 
partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invests approximately 
7 billion Swiss francs a year in R&D. Worldwide, the Group employs about 75,000 people. Additional 
information is available on the Internet at www.roche.com (http://www.roche.com).\line \line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 All 
trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.\par}\line \line {\b Additional 
information} \line - Roche in Oncology (http://www.roche.com/pages/downloads/company/pdf/mboncology05e_b.pdf) \line - Roche 
Health Kiosk, Cancer (http://www.health-kiosk.ch/start_krebs)\line - Avastin (http://www.avastin-info.com)\line \line \line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 1) 
Parkin DM, Bray F, Ferlay J and Pisani P. Global cancer statistics 2002. CA Cancer J Clin 2005; 55; 
74 \u8211? 108.\line 2) WHO Information sheet on cancer http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/\line \par}{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 publications/facts/cancer/en/ 
(accessed 24 May 2007)\line 3) Medline Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000516.htm#\line Causes,%20incidence,%20and%20risk%20factors 
(accessed 15 August 2007)\par}\line \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}
}