Bayer HealthCare Marks 2010 World Hemophilia Day with a $350,000 Contribution to the World Federation of Hemophilia

MONTVILLE, NJ (April 17, 2010) – To mark World Hemophilia Day, Bayer HealthCare is reaffirming its commitment to the global hemophilia community by pledging more than $350,000 to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) and participating in the Hemophilia Walk of the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF).

Bayer's annual contribution to WFH has helped support the organization’s treatment, care and education initiatives, including the Global Alliance for Progress initiative, a program to increase the proper diagnosis and treatment of hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. In addition, Bayer is the sole sponsor of WFH’s International Hemophilia Nursing Fellowship Program, which provides hemophilia education and training to nurses in developing countries.

As part of Bayer's global commitment to World Hemophilia Day, U.S. employees, friends and families are joining others today in NHF’s Hemophilia Walk, taking place in Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley, Calif. Employees are helping raise awareness about hemophilia by participating in the walk or making donations, which are being matched by the company.

"The Hemophilia Walk is our largest community event, and supports our mission of finding better treatments and cures for bleeding and clotting disorders and preventing complications of these disorders," said Merlin Wedepohl, Executive Director, Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California. "With the help of partners like Bayer, we are working to improve care for people with bleeding disorders."

"We at Bayer are profoundly aware of the human impact hemophilia has on people living with the disorder, and are equally passionate about helping them," said Paul Bedard, vice president and general manager, Hematology, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. "It is especially appropriate that this walk is taking place in Berkeley, our manufacturing center for more than 20 years. It is further demonstration of our commitment to this community."

Over the last three decades, Bayer has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in research, clinical trials and post-marketing studies that have led to additional treatment options and a better understanding of hemophilia. Today, as a leader in hemophilia research, Bayer supports the development of advances in treatment by:

• Applying innovative technologies to develop a recombinant factor VIII molecule that may have increased circulation time and lower immunogenicity.
• Initiating global clinical development on a next-generation recombinant factor VIIa protein that may provide additional treatment options to patients with hemophilia A and B who have developed antibodies – or inhibitors – to either factor VIII or factor IX.
• Supporting research through the Bayer Hemophilia Awards Program, one of the largest and oldest programs of its kind in the industry. Since 2002, this program has funded novel hemophilia research and education projects around the world.

Bayer has a long history of advocating for and supporting the global hemophilia community. In the last decade, the company has donated more than 20 million units of product to countries with limited access to hemophilia treatment and continues to serve the community by facilitating access to relevant information for individuals with hemophilia.

About Hemophilia A

Hemophilia A, also known as factor VIII deficiency or classic hemophilia, is largely an inherited bleeding disorder in which one of the proteins needed to form blood clots in the body is missing or reduced. Hemophilia A, the most common type of hemophilia, is caused by deficient or defective blood coagulation proteins, known as factor VIII. Hemophilia A is characterized by prolonged or spontaneous bleeding, especially into the muscles, joints, or internal organs. Approximately one in 5,000 males born in the United States has hemophilia.

About Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. is the U.S.-based pharmaceuticals operation of Bayer HealthCare, an affiliate of Bayer AG. One of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry, Bayer HealthCare combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care, and Pharmaceuticals divisions. In the United States, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals comprises the following business units: Women’s Healthcare, Diagnostic Imaging, General Medicine, Hematology/Neurology, and Oncology. The company’s aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human health worldwide by diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup 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 Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

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Contact:
Joanne Marlin
Bayer HealthCare
+1-973-305-5383