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{\pard\sa900\fs50\f0\i Media Release\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Basel, 19 February 2008\line \line {\b Roche 
Completes Tender Offer for Ventana Shares} \line Acquisition of Ventana to be Completed 
Today\line \line Roche (SWX: ROG.VX; RO.S; OTCQX; RHHBY) and Ventana Medical Systems 
Inc. (NASDAQ: VMSI) today announced that Roche has completed the tender offer for the outstanding shares 
of Ventana. As of the expiration of the subsequent offering period, Rocket Acquisition Corporation, 
a wholly-owned subsidiary of Roche, had purchased a total of approximately 34,545,323 shares of Ventana 
common stock, representing approximately 93.7% of Ventana\u8217?s outstanding shares. All shares validly tendered 
in the offer have been accepted for payment, and the consideration for all such shares either has been 
paid or will promptly be paid. \line \line Roche expects to complete the acquisition 
of Ventana today through a short-form merger, without a vote or meeting of Ventana\u8217?s shareholders. In 
the merger, all of the shares of Ventana not owned by Roche and its subsidiaries (other than shares 
as to which appraisal rights are validly exercised) will be converted into the right to receive the 
same cash consideration that was paid in the tender offer. Following the merger, Ventana\u8217?s common stock 
will cease to be traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. \line \line \u8220?This is 
a truly exciting day for Roche. Ventana broadens Roche\u8217?s diagnostic offerings and complements Roche\u8217?s 
strong existing position in in-vitro diagnostic systems. Incorporating Ventana will enhance our position 
as the world\u8217?s leading personalized healthcare company,\u8221? commented Franz B. Humer, Chairman and CEO 
of Roche. \u8220?We are happy to officially welcome Ventana\u8217?s employees to the Roche Group and will begin 
the integration of our businesses immediately.\u8221? \line \line Greenhill & Co. 
and Citi are acting as financial advisors to Roche and Davis Polk & Wardwell is acting as legal 
counsel.\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, and is a market 
leader in virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, 
inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2007 sales by the 
Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 36.8 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales 
of 9.3 billion francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, 
including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invested over 8 billion Swiss francs 
in R&D in 2007. Worldwide, the Group employs about 79,000 people.\line \line Roche\u8217?s 
Diagnostics Division offers a uniquely broad product portfolio and supplies a wide array of innovative 
testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide.\line \line Roche 
commenced operations in the U.S. over 100 years ago and these operations include research and development 
centers that conduct leading-edge work in advancing disease detection and treatment. Our diagnostics 
and pharmaceuticals businesses in the \line \line U.S. employ more than 20,000 people 
and generate approximately $10 billion in sales (including Genentech), accounting for about 40% of the 
Roche Group's global annual revenues.\line \line For further information, please 
visit 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 Further 
information} \line - All documents on the offer to Ventana\u8217?s shareholders (http://www.roche.com/info070625)\line \line \line {\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 CAUTIONARY 
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS\line THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CERTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING 
STATEMENTS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS MAY BE IDENTIFIED BY WORDS SUCH AS \u8216?BELIEVES\u8217?, \u8216?EXPECTS\u8217?, 
\u8216?ANTICIPATES\u8217?, \u8216?PROJECTS\u8217?, \u8216?INTENDS\u8217?, \u8216?SHOULD\u8217?, \u8216?SEEKS\u8217?, \u8216?ESTIMATES\u8217?, \u8216?FUTURE\u8217? OR SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS 
OR BY \line \line DISCUSSION OF, AMONG OTHER THINGS, 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 DOCUMENT, 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, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGATIVE RESULTS OF CLINICAL 
TRIALS OR RESEARCH PROJECTS, UNEXPECTED SIDE-EFFECTS OF PIPELINE OR MARKETED 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 AND NEWS COVERAGE. THE STATEMENT REGARDING EARNINGS PER SHARE GROWTH IS NOT 
A PROFIT FORECAST AND SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED TO MEAN THAT ROCHE\u8217?S EARNINGS OR EARNINGS PER SHARE 
FOR ANY CURRENT OR FUTURE PERIOD WILL NECESSARILY MATCH OR EXCEED THE HISTORICAL PUBLISHED EARNINGS 
OR EARNINGS PER SHARE OF ROCHE.\line \line ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND 
IT\line THIS PRESS RELEASE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER 
TO PURCHASE OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL VENTANA\u8217?S COMMON STOCK. THE TENDER OFFER IS BEING 
MADE PURSUANT TO A TENDER OFFER STATEMENT ON SCHEDULE TO (INCLUDING THE OFFER TO \line PURCHASE, 
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND OTHER RELATED TENDER OFFER MATERIALS) FILED BY ROCHE WITH THE SECURITIES AND 
EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE \u8220?SEC\u8221?) ON JUNE 27, 2007. THESE MATERIALS, AS THEY MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME 
TO TIME, CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER, THAT SHOULD 
BE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE ANY DECISION IS MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE TENDER OFFER. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS 
CAN OBTAIN A FREE COPY OF THESE MATERIALS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED BY ROCHE WITH THE SEC AT THE WEBSITE 
MAINTAINED BY THE SEC AT WWW.SEC.GOV. THE TENDER OFFER MATERIALS MAY ALSO BE OBTAINED FOR FREE BY CONTACTING 
THE INFORMATION AGENT FOR THE TENDER OFFER, MACKENZIE PARTNERS AT (212) 929-5500 OR (800) 322-2885 (TOLL-FREE).\line \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}
}