25 May 2006 - Bayer HealthCare, The National Hemophilia Foundation, and Andretti Green Racing Announce Racing for Hemophilia Primary Donor for the 2006 Indianapolis 500
Successful program raised money and awareness for hemophilia A
Indianapolis, IN, USA — Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF), and Andretti Green Racing, Inc. today announced that CopyCo. Office Solutions has been selected as the 2006 Primary Donor of Racing for Hemophilia, a unique fundraising and awareness campaign for the bleeding disorders community. CopyCo. Solutions, the largest independent dealer of factory authorized Canon Office Equipment, based in Indianapolis, will have use of Bayer’s sponsor space on the #26 Andretti Green Racing car during the 90th Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2006. The #26 car will be driven by Marco Andretti. In addition, CopyCo. Office Solutions will receive a VIP trip for two to the 2006 Indianapolis 500 as the guests of NHF and Andretti Green Racing.
“It is an honor to be a part of the Racing for Hemophilia program and support Hemophilia of Indiana, our local NHF chapter,” said Donn Salladay, CopyCo. Office Solutions. “We are excited to be a part of the spirit and excitement of the 2006 Indianapolis 500 while also supporting an important cause for people living with hemophilia.”
The money raised by Racing for Hemophilia will help maintain important programs like summer camps for children, peer support groups, medic alert IDs, educational seminars, and other initiatives for people living with hemophilia and bleeding disorders.
“Bayer HealthCare is committed to supporting programs, like Racing for Hemophilia, that raise awareness and money for the hemophilia community,” said Terry Tenbrunsel, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. “We are proud to be a part of such a successful initiative to improve the lives of people living with hemophilia A.”
“Racing for Hemophilia has been a great success,” said Alan Kinniburgh, CEO of the National Hemophilia Foundation. “With the support of Bayer, this will help our local chapters to maintain many vital programs for people living with bleeding disorders.”
About Hemophilia
Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder characterized by prolonged or spontaneous bleeding, especially into the muscles, joints, or internal organs. About 17,000 Americans have hemophilia. The disease is caused by deficient or defective blood coagulation proteins, known as factor VIII or IX. The most common form of the disease is hemophilia A, or classic hemophilia, in which the clotting factor VIII is either deficient or defective. Hemophilia B is characterized by deficient or defective factor IX.
About Bayer HealthCare AG
Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer HealthCare generated sales amounting to some 9.4 billion euros and employed 33,800 people worldwide in 2005.
The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care, Diagnostics, and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The new Pharmaceuticals division was established on January 1, 2006, and comprises the former Biological Products and Pharmaceutical divisions. Pharmaceuticals now has three business units: Hematology/Cardiology, Oncology, and Primary Care.
Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. The products enhance well-being and quality of life by diagnosing, preventing, and treating diseases.
Information about Bayer HealthCare can be found at www.bayerhealthcare.com.
About the National Hemophilia Foundation
The National Hemophilia Foundation is dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for bleeding and clotting disorders and to preventing the complications of these disorders through education, advocacy and research.
Forward-looking statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development, or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in our public reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including our Form 20-F). The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
