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Paris, France and Gent, Belgium  November 13, 2006

Sanofi-aventis, Innogenetics, and Inserm to collaborate on Alzheimer’s disease

Sanofi-aventis, Innogenetics, and Inserm, through its subsidiary called Inserm Transfert, announced today the conclusion of a collaborative research agreement in the field of Alzheimer’s disease.

This collaboration agreement is signed for an initial period of 2 years, with an option for sanofi-aventis to obtain an exclusive worldwide license on the results arising from the research program in the therapeutics field. Innogenetics will have an exclusive worldwide license in the diagnostics field.

The present agreement is built on intellectual property and a research collaboration between Innogenetics and Inserm-Lille (U-422) on the development of new diagnostic tools for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dating back from 2002. The results of the collaboration will allow to study the role of specific forms of the key Alzheimer protein amyloid beta, and related technology, as targets for new therapeutic avenues for AD. Based on the technology and products provided by Innogenetics and Inserm, sanofi-aventis will evaluate different products against diverse forms of the amyloid beta protein in a passive immunization program.

In return for providing sanofi-aventis access to their technology and services, Innogenetics and Inserm-Transfert will receive upfront and research fees.

In the event sanofi-aventis exercises its license option, Innogenetics and Inserm-Transfert will be entitled to milestone payments and royalties on future sales of therapeutic products resulting from this collaboration.

Financial terms of the agreement are not disclosed.

Frank Morich, CEO of Innogenetics, commented: "This agreement is a significant valorization of our discovery, and development capabilities, and of our intellectual property in the field of Alzheimer’s disease. The combination of technologies and expertise from 3 different parties, each having outstanding know-how in their field, creates a unique alliance. This joint effort will address a medical need in Alzheimer’s disease and will add value for Innogenetics and its shareholders.”

About sanofi-aventis

Sanofi-aventis is the world’s third largest pharmaceutical company, ranking number one in Europe. Backed by a world-class R&D organization, sanofi-aventis is developing leading positions in seven major therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, thrombosis, oncology, metabolic diseases, central nervous system, internal medicine, and vaccines. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

About Innogenetics

Innogenetics is an international biopharmaceutical company building parallel businesses in the areas of specialty diagnostics and therapeutic vaccines.

In 2005, total revenues (product sales, royalties, and license fees) reached €48.6 million, with a profitable Diagnostics Division. Its Diagnostics Division develops a large number of specialty products covering three areas: infectious diseases (hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV), genetic testing (HLA tissue typing and cystic fibrosis), and neurodegeneration (Alzheimer’s disease). In its Therapeutics Division, Innogenetics focuses on the development of therapeutic vaccines to address unmet medical needs in the field of infectious diseases, with two compounds now in clinical trials (hepatitis C in phase IIb and hepatitis B in phase I).

Founded in 1985, Innogenetics is listed on Euronext Brussels [Ticker: INNX]. Innogenetics’ headquarters are in Gent, Belgium, with sales subsidiaries in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, and the United States. Innogenetics employs 530 people worldwide and has a market capitalization of approximately €355 million.

About Inserm and Inserm Transfert

The French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) is the only French public research institute totally devoided to biological, medical and public health research. Inserm consists of above 13,000 scientists and its activity focuses on the study of all human illness inside more than 360 research units and 41 Clinical Investigation Centers created in partnership with public hospitals. Inserm’s mission is to accelerate the access to research results for patients, medical actors and national and international partners, by the development of innovative products and services generated by its researches.

Inserm Transfert, a subsidiary of Inserm is a public limited company that contributes to the transfer of research to industry and its successful development by industry. This is done through biotech start-up creation, business support, industrial funded and European Commission granted projects and by facilitating the development of Inserm’s innovative technologies and by offering new entrepreneurial opportunities to researchers. Inserm Transfert manages the development and the commercialization or Intellectual Property and know-how arising from Inserm research activity. Inserm Transfert works in conjunction with the French network of incubators and participates in seed and venture capital funds.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future events, operations, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans” and similar expressions. Although sanofi-aventis’ management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of sanofi-aventis, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by sanofi-aventis, including those listed under “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in sanofi-aventis’ annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2005. Other than as required by applicable law, sanofi-aventis does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

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