Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Provides euro 250.000 Grant to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) to Support Innovative Patient Care Research and Educational Initiatives

BERKELEY, Calif., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has awarded euro 250.000 to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) to support groundbreaking initiatives that aim to improve the overall state of hemophilia care for patients around the world. Over the past three years, Bayer has provided WFH with euro 750.000 as part of the company's steadfast commitment to improving the quality of care for people living with hemophilia.

"Bayer plays an integral role in helping us increase awareness of hemophilia and improve access to care for patients around the world," said Mark W. Skinner, President, World Federation of Hemophilia. "WFH is grateful to Bayer for its generous and ongoing support and collaboration in initiatives that fit within our strategic vision of 'Treatment for All.' We are thrilled to have such a committed partner in the hemophilia community."

"Bayer is extremely pleased to support WFH and its goal to improve the lives of people with hemophilia," said Michael E. Mathews, Vice President, Global Marketing Hematology/Cardiology, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. "Today, in celebration of World Hemophilia Day, we pledge our continued commitment to help WFH advance the care of hemophilia globally."

The grant announcement coincides with the annual celebration of WFH's World Hemophilia Day - a day devoted to increasing awareness of, and promoting support for, the needs of people around the world living with hemophilia. Bayer's donation will help fund WFH-sponsored initiatives that support hemophilia education and care.

Consistent with WFH's mission of improving hemophilia care throughout the world, Bayer has chosen "Joint Effort" as its overarching theme for World Hemophilia Day. This theme underlines WFH's call to maintain healthy joints for enhanced quality of life. Joint damage is the most common clinical complication in hemophilia. However, patients can help keep their joints healthy by following their physicians' treatment instructions, engaging in regular exercise to strengthen muscles, and scheduling periodic check-ups with a healthcare provider. (1)

Additionally, the "Joint Effort" theme stresses the important role collaboration plays in advancing hemophilia care. Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals remains committed to the research and development of treatment technologies designed to enhance patient convenience and quality of life. Bayer also supports initiatives and provides product donations that improve overall quality of care for all people living with hemophilia. Bayer demonstrates its commitment in many ways, including:

  * Donating more than 30 million units of factor VIII to developing
    countries that cannot provide adequate medical care to people with
    hemophilia.
  * Funding hemophilia research and education around the world through the
    Bayer Hemophilia Awards Program (BHAP).  Now in its 5th year, Bayer has
    given out nearly 100 awards, totaling more than $11 million to
    researchers and caregivers in countries throughout the world.
  * Serving as the exclusive sponsor of the WFH International Hemophilia
    Nursing Fellowship Program - an initiative that provides state-of-the-
    art hemophilia education and training to nurses in developing countries,
    teaching them how to better diagnose and treat hemophilia and other
    related bleeding disorders.
  * Partnering with the WFH to create a television Public Service
    Announcement (PSA) to help raise awareness about hemophilia.  The PSA
    will air over the next few months on television stations across the
    United States.

  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 400,000 people around the world have hemophilia.

About Bayer HealthCare LLC

Bayer HealthCare LLC, an affiliate of Bayer HealthCare AG, is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care, and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The Pharmaceuticals division comprises the following business units: Women's Healthcare, Diagnostic Imaging, Specialized Therapeutics, Hematology/Cardiology, Primary Care, and Oncology. 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.

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 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.

(1) http://www.wfh.org/index.asp?lang=EN, as of Mar 13, 2007.