Filed by Sanofi-Aventis
Pursuant to Rule 165 and Rule 425(a) under the
United States Securities Act of 1933,
as amended
Subject Company: Aventis
Commission File No. 001-10378
Date: September 16, 2004
On September 16, 2004, Sanofi-Aventis issued the following press
release.
In connection with its acquisition of Aventis, Sanofi-Aventis has
announced that it is studying the feasibility of merging Aventis with and into
Sanofi-Aventis, with Sanofi-Aventis continuing as the surviving corporation. In
connection with any merger of Aventis into Sanofi-Aventis, Sanofi-Aventis will
file a post-effective amendment to its registration statement on Form F-4 (File
no. 333-112314), which will include a prospectus relating to the merger, and
will file additional documents with the SEC. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT, INCLUDING ANY PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS OR DEFINITIVE
PROSPECTUS (WHEN AVAILABLE) RELATING TO THE MERGER, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS, BECAUSE
THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Free copies of the registration
statement, as well as other relevant documents filed with the SEC, may be
obtained at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. At the appropriate time,
Sanofi-Aventis will provide investors with information on how to obtain any
merger-related documents for free from Sanofi-Aventis or from its duly appointed
agents.
* * * *
[SANOFI-AVENTIS LOGO]
Paris, September 16, 2004
THE SANOFI-AVENTIS GROUP THANKS
ITS TEAM MEMBERS AND SHAREHOLDERS
AND LAUNCHES ITS NEW VISUAL IDENTITY
THE SANOFI-AVENTIS GROUP launched an advertising campaign today in France,
Germany and internationally to thank its team members and shareholders for their
help in the creation of the world's 3rd largest pharmaceutical group.
<< THANK YOU TO THE 100 000 TEAM MEMBERS AND SHAREHOLDERS WHO HELPED CREATE THE
3RD LARGEST PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY IN THE WORLD"
The campaign also publicly reveals the new visual identity of the new Group, its
logo, which will symbolise this new human endeavour around the world.
The new logo brings to mind the overriding goal that each and every member of
the Group shares: improving health. Graphically, the logo block shows our
willingness to move forward together with a shared vision of the profession that
unites us. It places all humanity, each and every individual, at the very heart
of our vocation and commitments.
This logo consists of a symbol, a logo block, and a signature.
- The symbol speaks to the heart of mankind and expresses solidarity.
- The perfectly balanced, all-embracing curved line underscores the
typo block of the sanofi-aventis name and symbolises people joining
together. Its colour and rounded shape express humanistic values as
well as the environment of scientific expertise in which we live.
- Finally, the signature, << BECAUSE HEALTH MATTERS >> reminds
all of us of our vocation and our commitment to enable the
greatest number of people to gain access to medicines.
Yesterday, on September 15, 2004, the new visual identity was launched and
presented to all the 100,000 team members of the sanofi-aventis Group around the
world. On every site, internal meetings were organised to reveal the logo to all
team members. At the corporate Headquarters, the internal meeting was chaired by
Jean-Francois DEHECQ.
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications: Nicole Cranois
- Vice President, Media Relations: Jean-Marc Podvin
Tel: + 33 1.53.77.42.23 - Fax: + 33 1.53.77.42.65
- 174, avenue de France - 75013 Paris - www.sanofi-aventis.com
[PRESS RELEASE LOGO LOCATED ON RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF DOCUMENT]
[SANOFI-AVENTIS LOGO]
Further to the birth of the sanofi-aventis Group on August 20, 2004, and to the
announcement in early September of the appointment of a hundred managers
throughout the world, a new milestone has been reached in the integration
process of the new Group.
The sanofi-aventis Group is the world's 3rd largest pharmaceutical company,
ranking number 1 in Europe. Backed by a world-class R&D organisation,
sanofi-aventis is developing leading positions in seven major therapeutic areas:
cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, oncology, diabetes, central nervous system,
internal medicine, vaccines.
Important Information
---------------------
In connection with its acquisition of Aventis, Sanofi-Aventis has announced that
it is studying the feasibility of merging Aventis with and into Sanofi-Aventis,
with Sanofi-Aventis continuing as the surviving corporation. In connection with
any merger of Aventis into Sanofi-Aventis, Sanofi-Aventis will file a
post-effective amendment to its registration statement on Form F-4 (File no.
333-112314), which will include a prospectus relating to the merger, and will
file additional documents with the SEC. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT, INCLUDING ANY PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS OR DEFINITIVE
PROSPECTUS (WHEN AVAILABLE) RELATING TO THE MERGER, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS, BECAUSE
THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Free copies of the registration
statement, as well as other relevant documents filed with the SEC, may be
obtained at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. At the appropriate time,
Sanofi-Aventis will provide investors with information on how to obtain any
merger-related documents for free from Sanofi-Aventis or from its duly appointed
agents.
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications: Nicole Cranois
- Vice President, Media Relations: Jean-Marc Podvin
Tel: + 33 1.53.77.42.23 - Fax: + 33 1.53.77.42.65
- 174, avenue de France - 75013 Paris - www.sanofi-aventis.com
[PRESS RELEASE LOGO LOCATED ON RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF DOCUMENT]