28.07.2010

Sanofi-aventis and Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that Raul E. Kohan will be appointed Chief Executive Officer of their proposed Animal Health joint venture. Sanofi-aventis and Merck - intend to combine Merial with Intervet/Schering-Plough, to create a new global leader in Animal Health to be called Merial-Intervet.

Mr. Kohan is currently President of Intervet/Schering-Plough.

He will commence his new responsibilities when the new joint venture is approved by regulatory authorities and closes, which is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2011. The formation of this new animal health joint venture is subject to execution of final agreements, antitrust review in the United States, Europe and other countries, as well as other customary closing conditions. The worldwide animal health market reached US$19 billion in 2008.