Two landmark studies show Taxotere (R) significantly improves survival in men with prost...( BRIDGEWATER NJ - June 7 2004 - Aventi...),Health

BRIDGEWATER, NJ - June 7, 2004 - Aventis (NYSE: AVE) announced today that the results of two landmark phase III trials using Taxotere® (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate based regimens in the treatment of androgen-independent (hormone-refractory) metastatic prostate cancer have been presented at the plenary session of the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in New Orleans, LA.

The clinical trials TAX 327 and SWOG 9916, were led by investigators from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG). The trials involved nearly 1,800 patients and demonstrated that Taxotere®-based regimens significantly reduced the risk of death by 24 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Investigators in the TAX 327 trial also reported that Taxotere® significantly improved patients' PSA responses by 43 percent (p=0.0005) and improved pain responses by 59 percent (p=0.0107), relative to mitoxantrone response rates.

The SWOG trial investigators reported a 27 percent increase in disease-progression-free survival and a 55 percent increase in objective response rate in the Taxotere®-containing arm. In addition, the majority of patients had a PSA decline of more than 50 percent.

"These studies are the first to show that a chemotherapy agent, Taxotere®, can deliver a significant survival benefit in androgen-independent (hormone-refractory) metastatic prostate cancer patients, giving hope to thousands of men worldwide," said Daniel Petrylak, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, Director of the Genitourinary Oncology Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. "These data represent an important new treatment option for men with prostate cancer because it can help some patients live longer."

Prostate cancer ranks third worldwide in cancer incidence
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Contact: Lisa Kennedy, Aventis
lisa.a.kennedy@aventis.com
908-243-6361
Porter Novelli
7-Jun-2004

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