Press Release: Benefited Patients with Type 2 Diabetes by Improving Blood Sugar Control

New Data Shows Rimonabant Benefited Patients with Type 2 Diabetes by Improving Blood Sugar Control, Reducing Weight and Acting on Other Cardiometabolic Risk Factors - First Rimonabant Trial with HbA1c as a Primary Endpoint - CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Dec. 5 -- Sanofi-aventis announced today that new data on rimonabant, its first-in-class cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor blocker, showed that patients with type 2 diabetes not currently treated with anti-diabetic medications experienced significant improvements in blood sugar control and weight as well as other risk factors such as HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) and triglycerides when compared to placebo. The study, called SERENADE, was presented today at the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) World Diabetes Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. SERENADE is the second study demonstrating that rimonabant significantly improved blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. In the SERENADE study, treatment-naive type 2 diabetes patients receiving rimonabant 20mg per day for a duration of six months significantly lowered their HbA1c levels by 0.8% from a baseline value of 7.9 as compared to a reduction of 0.3% in the placebo group (p=0.002). In addition, patients with an HbA1c level greater than or equal to 8.5% at baseline, significantly reduced their HbA1c by 1.9% with rimonabant as compared to 0.7% with placebo (por equal to 30kg/m2), or overweight patients (BMI>27kg/m2) with associated risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes or dyslipidemia. Rimonabant is currently commercialized in the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Ireland, Argentina and Austria. At the end of October 2006, sanofi-aventis submitted a complete response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvable letter received in February 2006. 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 - News). 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.