Sanofi Pasteur PER.C6(R)-Based Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Enters First Clinical Trial

Lyon, France; Leiden, The Netherlands, September 26, 2006 - Sanofi pasteur, the vaccines business of the sanofi-aventis Group (NYSE: SNY), initiated its first clinical study today with a new generation of seasonal influenza vaccine produced using the PER.C6® cell culture technology of Dutch biotechnology company Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX). This trial represents one of sanofi pasteur's initiatives to diversify flu vaccine manufacturing technologies.