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{\pard\sa900\fs50\f0\i Media Release\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Basel, 16 April 2009\par}
{\pard\f0\sl360\fs22\b Roche strongly outperforms market in first quarter\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Genentech transaction completed, integration proceeding rapidly\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche Group} \par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Group sales up 8% in local currencies and 7% in Swiss francs to 11.6 billion Swiss francs (-1% in US dollars)\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Roche completes transaction to take full ownership of Genentech \u8212? key decisions on organisational structure and management appointments taken\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Full-year outlook to be updated to include impact of Genentech transaction and communicated with half-year results\par}\line 
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Pharmaceuticals Division} \par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Sales advance 8% in local currencies and Swiss francs \u8211? around twice as fast as the global market \u8211? driven by key products in the oncology, virology, ophthalmology and inflammation portfolios \par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Encouraging response to rollout of RoActemra for rheumatoid arthritis in first EU countries\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - MabThera receives EU approval as first-line treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - FDA advisory panel unanimously supports use of Avastin in patients with previously treated glioblastoma brain cancer\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Results of phase III trial of Herceptin in HER2-positive inoperable stomach cancer (ToGA) released a year earlier than expected due to significant overall survival benefit\par}\line 
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Diagnostics Division} \par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Divisional sales grow 8% in local currencies and 3% in Swiss francs, well ahead of the global market\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Professional Diagnostics and Tissue Diagnostics are key growth drivers\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Acquisition of innovatis strengthens Roche Applied Science\u8217?s cell analysis portfolio\par}\line 
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 Unless otherwise stated, all growth rates are in local currencies\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Commenting on the first three months of 2009, Roche CEO Severin Schwan said: \u8216?With growth of 8%, the Roche Group\u8217?s sales developed very well in the first three months of 2009. Sales in both divisions continued to grow significantly faster than their respective markets. We are therefore confident that we can achieve our full-year targets. Following the friendly merger agreement with Genentech and rapid completion of the transaction, we have made considerable progress with integration activities. We are delighted that Art Levinson will continue to support us in an active role and that many outstanding individuals from both Genentech and Roche have committed themselves to driving forward the combined businesses. We will update our full-year outlook to include the impact of the Genentech transaction when we announce our half-year results.\u8217?\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche Group} \par}
{\pard
\trowd\trgaph100\cellx1600\cellx3200\cellx4800\cellx6400\cellx8000\cellx9600
\pard\intbl Sales from January to March \cell
\pard\intbl 2009\line mCHF \cell
\pard\intbl 2008\line mCHF \cell
\pard\intbl % change in CHF \cell
\pard\intbl % change in local cur. \cell
\pard\intbl % change in US dollars \cell
\row
\trowd\trgaph100\cellx1600\cellx3200\cellx4800\cellx6400\cellx8000\cellx9600
\pard\intbl Pharmaceuticals Division \cell
\pard\intbl 9,216 \cell
\pard\intbl 8,568 \cell
\pard\intbl 8 \cell
\pard\intbl 8 \cell
\pard\intbl 0 \cell
\row
\trowd\trgaph100\cellx1600\cellx3200\cellx4800\cellx6400\cellx8000\cellx9600
\pard\intbl  Europe/Rest of World{\super *}  \cell
\pard\intbl 4,491 \cell
\pard\intbl 4,571 \cell
\pard\intbl -2 \cell
\pard\intbl 8 \cell
\pard\intbl -8 \cell
\row
\trowd\trgaph100\cellx1600\cellx3200\cellx4800\cellx6400\cellx8000\cellx9600
\pard\intbl  United States \cell
\pard\intbl 3,586 \cell
\pard\intbl 3,326 \cell
\pard\intbl 8 \cell
\pard\intbl 1 \cell
\pard\intbl 1 \cell
\row
\trowd\trgaph100\cellx1600\cellx3200\cellx4800\cellx6400\cellx8000\cellx9600
\pard\intbl  Japan \cell
\pard\intbl 1,139 \cell
\pard\intbl 671 \cell
\pard\intbl 70 \cell
\pard\intbl 40 \cell
\pard\intbl 58 \cell
\row
\trowd\trgaph100\cellx1600\cellx3200\cellx4800\cellx6400\cellx8000\cellx9600
\pard\intbl Diagnostics Division \cell
\pard\intbl 2,361 \cell
\pard\intbl 2,287 \cell
\pard\intbl 3 \cell
\pard\intbl 8 \cell
\pard\intbl -4 \cell
\row
\trowd\trgaph100\cellx1600\cellx3200\cellx4800\cellx6400\cellx8000\cellx9600
\pard\intbl Roche Group \cell
\pard\intbl 11,577 \cell
\pard\intbl 10,855 \cell
\pard\intbl 7 \cell
\pard\intbl 8 \cell
\pard\intbl -1 \cell
\row
}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 * Roche defines Europe/Rest of World as covering Europe and all other countries except Japan and the US\line See appendix to this release for details of quarterly sales growth\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 The Roche Group recorded total sales of 11.6 billion Swiss francs in the first quarter of 2009, an increase of 8% in local currencies (7% in Swiss francs; -1% in US dollars){\super 1}  compared with the year-earlier period. Growth was driven mainly by continued strong sales of key products in the Group\u8217?s oncology, virology, ophthalmology and inflammation portfolios, and of Roche Diagnostics\u8217? immunoassay systems.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Following the completion of the Genentech transaction, Roche and Genentech have taken important decisions on organisational structure and key management positions. As already announced, effective 1 May 2009, current Genentech Chairman and CEO Arthur D. Levinson will chair Genentech\u8217?s new board of directors and steer the integration of Genentech and Roche on a strategic level. In addition, the Board of Roche Holding Ltd will propose Arthur Levinson as a member of the Board of Roche Holding Ltd at the next Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in 2010. Pascal Soriot, currently Head of Roche\u8217?s Global Pharma Commercial Operations, will become CEO of Genentech. Together, Levinson and Soriot will lead the operational integration team to design the future set-up of the combined company. The integration plans will be finalised by mid-year, with the goal to have the integration largely completed by the end of 2009.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Roche plans to update its full-year outlook to include the impact of the Genentech transaction when the Group\u8217?s half-year results are announced on 23 July.\par}
{\pard\f0\sl360\fs22\b Pharmaceuticals Division\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Solid growth driven by key products \u8212? positive launch of RoActemra in Europe\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division in the first three months of 2009 increased 8% in local currencies (8% in Swiss francs; 0% in US dollars) to 9.2 billion Swiss francs. This is around twice the global market growth rate (4.4%).{\super 2}  The main sales drivers were Avastin, Herceptin, Tamiflu, MabThera/Rituxan and Lucentis.{\super 3}  In the United States, solid growth of key products compensated for lower seasonal sales of Tamiflu. Sales by Chugai in Japan increased strongly due to Tamiflu, key anticancer medicines and Actemra. Sales in Europe/Rest of World were driven by continued demand for key products in Europe and in emerging markets.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Following approval in the European Union of the novel rheumatoid arthritis (RA) medicine Actemra/RoActemra (tocilizumab) in January, the response from physicians in the initial launch markets, including Germany, has been very encouraging. Adoption of Actemra in Japan, where the product was approved for RA in April 2008, continues to develop well.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 In the first quarter of 2009 Avastin (bevacizumab), for advanced colorectal, breast, lung and kidney cancer, continued to record strong sales growth in all regions, with global sales up 30% to 1.5 billion Swiss francs. Sales of Herceptin (trastuzumab), for HER2-positive breast cancer, increased 11% to 1.3 billion Swiss francs, driven by continued uptake in early breast cancer in Japan and increasing market penetration in Eastern Europe and emerging markets. Overall sales (oncology and autoimmune diseases) of MabThera/Rituxan (rituximab), for non-Hodgkin\u8217?s lymphoma (NHL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), rose 6% to 1.5 billion Swiss francs. While uptake continues to increase in the first-line NHL setting, high adoption rates for this indication have already been achieved in most markets. The European rollout of MabThera for CLL and further uptake in the NHL maintenance setting and in RA are expected to contribute additional sales growth.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Global sales of Tamiflu (oseltamivir), for influenza, rose 38% overall to 401 million Swiss francs in the first quarter. Growth was driven by sales to governments and corporations for pandemic stockpiling, including significant new orders in Japan and the United Kingdom, where the governments have announced plans to double the size of their existing stockpiles of antiviral medicines. This more than compensated for lower seasonal sales, particularly in the United States, where flu outbreaks were less severe than in the 2007/2008 season.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Sales in the US of Lucentis (ranibizumab), for wet age-related macular degeneration, increased 21% to 279 million Swiss francs. Growth is being driven primarily by an increase in the number of injections per patient in the first and second year of treatment and an improving market environment compared with the first quarter last year.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Combined sales of Roche\u8217?s NeoRecormon and Chugai\u8217?s Epogin (epoetin beta), for anemia, declined 13% to 378 million Swiss francs in a highly competitive market. While the market share of NeoRecormon remained virtually stable, sales were affected by continued price pressure.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 At the beginning of April, Roche and Genentech announced a phased voluntary withdrawal of the psoriasis drug Raptiva (efalizumab) from the US market.\par}
{\pard\f0\sl360\fs22\b Major product development milestones\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 In February Roche received EU approval for MabThera in combination with chemotherapy for previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common form of adult leukemia. Roche filed an application in January for approval of MabThera for relapsed or refractory CLL, based on results of the REACH trial.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 In March a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel issued a unanimous recommendation supporting the use of Avastin in patients with previously treated (relapsed) glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain tumour. A decision by the FDA on accelerated approval of this new indication is expected in May.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Four-year follow-up data presented in March from an ongoing clinical trial (HERA) showed that women with HER2-positive early breast cancer continue to benefit from Herceptin several years after the end of treatment. Also in March, Roche announced positive results from an international phase III trial (ToGA) that showed that adding Herceptin to standard chemotherapy significantly prolongs the lives of patients with advanced and inoperable HER2-positive stomach cancer. Because of the significant overall survival benefit, the results were released approximately one year earlier than anticipated. Full data will be presented at a forthcoming medical conference.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 In March Roche and OSI Pharmaceuticals submitted applications to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and the FDA, respectively, for approval of Tarceva (erlotinib) as maintenance therapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease has not progressed following first-line chemotherapy. Both filings are based on data from the phase III SATURN trial. Interim results from another phase III study (ATLAS) were released in February. The data showed that maintenance treatment with Tarceva and Avastin in combination extends progression-free survival in patients with advanced NSCLC. The study was stopped early because of the significance of the interim data, which Roche plans to discuss with the regulatory authorities to determine next steps.\par}
{\pard\f0\sl360\fs22\b Research and development update\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 As of 31 March 2009, the Pharmaceuticals Division\u8217?s research and development pipeline (phase I to III/registration) included 59 new molecular entities and 59 additional indications. During the first quarter one project entered phase I, four projects entered phase II and two entered phase III development. Portfolio prioritisations led to the discontinuation of three phase I and two phase II projects.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 The first phase III trial (EMILIA) investigating the novel antibody\u8211?drug conjugate trastuzumab-DM1 in the second-line treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer commenced in February. Phase III development of dalcetrapib (CETP inhibitor), for dyslipidemia, and taspoglutide (GLP-1 analogue), for type 2 diabetes, is progressing according to plan. Due to the progress made with dalcetrapib, development of a back-up CETP inhibitor, R7232, has been stopped. Initial data from the taspoglutide trial are expected by the end of the year. Roche is focusing development activities in type 2 diabetes on molecules that, in addition to achieving glucose reduction, have the potential to lower cardiovascular risk. Accordingly, Roche has moved R7201, a novel SGLT-2 inhibitor licensed from Chugai, into phase II testing. Development of early-stage compounds that would only lower glucose levels, including all glucokinase activators, has been discontinued.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 In the first quarter of 2009 Roche announced new licensing agreements with Plexxikon for PLX5568 (R7376), a novel kinase inhibitor for polycystic kidney disease, and with Evotec for phase II development of EVT 101 for treatment-resistant depression. The acquisition of US-based Memory Pharmaceuticals was completed in January.\par}
{\pard\f0\sl360\fs22\b Diagnostics Division\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Continued above-market sales growth with nine major product launches in Europe\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Roche\u8217?s Diagnostics Division, the world\u8217?s leading supplier of in vitro diagnostics (IVDs), recorded first-quarter sales of 2.4 billion Swiss francs, an increase of 8% in local currencies (3% in Swiss francs, -4% in US dollars). This was well above the estimated 5% growth of the IVD market.{\super 4}  All five business areas increased their sales in local currencies, with Professional Diagnostics and Tissue Diagnostics the biggest contributors to growth. The division launched nine major new IVDs in Europe as well as important additions to its DNA sequencing and cell analysis portfolios.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche Professional Diagnostics} \u8217? sales rose 8% to 1,086 million Swiss francs. The immunoassay business gained further market share on sales growth of 18%. New placements of cobas 6000 analysers and recent additions to the immunoassay menu like the Elecsys anti-CCP assay (diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis) were key growth drivers. Sales of decentralised solutions rose 4%, led by strong demand for portable testing systems like the CoaguChek coagulation monitors. In the EU and other markets recognising CE Mark certification the business area launched a highly sensitive test for cardiac troponin T (diagnosis of heart attack), a test for the inflammation marker interleukin 6 (as an aid in managing critically ill patients) and assays for the markers PlGF and sFlt-1, which together provide the first and only IVD for preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening complication of pregnancy.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche Diabetes Care\u8217?s}  combined sales of blood glucose (BG) monitoring and insulin delivery products rose 4% to 679 million Swiss francs. Sales of Roche\u8217?s top-selling Accu-Chek Aviva BG system increased nearly 30%. Roche Diabetes Care has begun rolling out three major new BG monitoring systems in Europe: Accu-Chek Mobile (featuring strip-free technology), Accu-Chek Aviva Nano (for young, frequent testers) and Accu-Chek Active (for emerging markets). In addition, Accu-Chek Combo, Europe\u8217?s first interactive diabetes management system combining an insulin pump and a BG meter/remote control, was launched in its first markets.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche Molecular Diagnostics\u8217?}  sales rose 7% to 294 million Swiss francs. Automated real-time PCR platforms remained a growth driver. Sales of blood screening products increased 12%. Uptake of automated HIV and hepatitis B viral load tests remained strong, contributing to overall virology sales growth of 5%. The business area\u8217?s LightCycler MRSA Advanced Test for improved screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was CE Mark certified in March and commercially launched in Europe in April. In oncology, the TheraScreen K-RAS Test, which Roche began distributing in December 2008, is now validated for use on the LightCycler 480 II instrument, expanding platform options for laboratories.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche Applied Science\u8217?s}  sales rose 6% to 196 million Swiss francs. Sales of DNA sequencing products and microarrays both showed high double-digit growth. Systems for sample preparation and real-time quantitative PCR analysis posted 4% growth despite price erosion in the market. In early April Roche complemented its existing cell analysis portfolio for research by acquiring innovatis AG, a leader in automated cell analysis solutions for biomanufacturing. Important launches included a new version of the xCELLigence cell analyser and new Titanium DNA sequencing reagent kits.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 {\b Roche Tissue Diagnostics\u8217?}  first-quarter sales totalled 106 million Swiss francs, up 55% compared with two months\u8217? sales in 2008 due to the timing of the Ventana acquisition. On a comparable basis, sales rose 14%, again outpacing the market. Advanced tissue staining (immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation) continued to be the main growth driver, delivering a robust double-digit sales increase. Last year\u8217?s upgrades to the Symphony slide staining system contributed to double-digit growth in the high-volume primary staining market. In March the business area launched the INFORM EGFR DNA Probe in Europe for clinical use in oncology.\par}
{\pard\f0\sl360\fs22\b About Roche\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs22 Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world\u8217?s largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche\u8217?s personalised healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. In 2008, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested almost 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The Group posted sales of 45.6 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information: www.roche.com.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.\par}
{\pard\f0\sl360\fs22\b Next events\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Half-year results 2009: 23 July 2009 (tentative date)\par}\line 
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 1) Unless otherwise stated, all growth rates are in local currencies\line 2) Pharmaceutical market growth according to IMS (to end December 2008)\line 3) Sales of the Roche Group\u8217?s 20 leading pharmaceutical products are presented in the appendix to this release\line 4) Diagnostics market growth according to company estimates and various industry reports.\par}
{\pard\f0\li0\ri0\sa360\sl360\fs18 Disclaimer: 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 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.\par}
{\pard\f0\sa120\sl360\fs30\i Additional information\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Tables ( http://www.roche.com/mr1q09ane.pdf)\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Presentation ( http://www.roche.com/irp1q09e.pdf)\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Roche Pharma pipeline ( http://www.roche.com/research_and_development/pipeline/roche_pharma_pipeline)\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Roche Diagnostics pipeline ( http://www.roche.com/research_and_development/pipeline/diagnostics_portfolio)\par}
{\pard\f0\li440\ri0\sl360\fs22 - Roche Finance Info System (http://rofis.roche.com/dynasight/rofis.html)\par}\line 

{\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}
}