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| |  Synercid (Quinupristin/Dalfopristin), Antibiotic For Severe Infections, Available In Canada LAVAL, QC -- March 13, 2000 -- Aventis Pharma Inc., the Canadian pharmaceutical company of Aventis S.A., announced the launch of Synercid(R) (quinupristin and dalfopristin), a breakthrough antibiotic used in patients with severe infections. The first product to be launched by the newly-created Aventis Pharma Inc., Synercid has been shown in clinical trials to be effective in treating bloodstream infections that have proven to be resistant to virtually all other available antibiotics. "This could be a life-saving drug for patients who would have had no other medical alternative before,'' said Jean Bourgouin, M.D., Vice-President of Scientific Affairs at Aventis Pharma. "The benefits to them are enormous and we're pleased to be the first company on the market with such an important product.'' Synercid is the first injectable antibiotic in a distinct class of antibacterials known as streptogramins. It is indicated for use in treating vancomycin-resistant enterococcus faecium (VREF) infections, and skin and soft-tissue infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes. The two distinct antibiotic agents in Synercid, quinupristin and dalfopristin, work in synergy to inhibit or destroy susceptible bacteria through a two-pronged attack on protein synthesis in bacterial cells. Without the ability to manufacture new proteins, the bacterial cells are inactivated or die. "With Synercid, we now have an antibiotic to treat some of the new multi-drug resistant bacteria that we find today in the hospital setting,'' said Dr. Donald Low, chief of the department of microbiology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. "It's an important advance in the field of anti-infectives and I think it's reassuring for patients to know that there are new antibiotics out there to treat these new strains of complicated super-bugs.'' According to Dr. Low, the combination of the two antibiotic agents in Synercid work in concert to attack the target sites of the bacteria, resulting in rapid killing of the micro-organisms. "Now that we have this alternative, we can expect to see patients who have failed to respond to vancomycin get better sooner. That in itself is significant because there are currently no agents available for the treatment of patients infected with VREF.'' According to Jean Bourgouin, this brings out another advantage of Synercid, and that is the economic benefit. "If patients can be treated more quickly for severe infections, their hospital stay will not be as prolonged, thereby putting less strain on the healthcare system.'' Synercid is already approved in several European countries and in the United States. Before receiving Canadian approval, Ottawa's Health Protection Branch studied the results of clinical trials conducted worldwide in over 2,000 patients, including Canadians, enrolled in five Phase III comparative trials and an Emergency-Use Program. In terms of safety and efficacy, Synercid was found to be well tolerated and had a good success rate. The most commonly reported adverse effects were pain and inflammation at the site of injection. Aventis Pharma Inc. is the Canadian pharmaceutical business of Aventis S.A., one of the world's leading life sciences companies focusing on two core areas - pharmaceuticals and agriculture. Aventis was created in December 1999 through the merger of Hoechst AG and Rhone-Poulenc S.A. Related Links: Synercid (quinupristin and dalfopristin) and Aventis Pharma Inc.
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