Bayer Diagnostics launches ADVIA Centaur XP Immunoassay System

Monday - August 28, 2006 - Leverkusen – Bayer HealthCare, Diagnostics Division, a member of the Bayer Group (NYSE:BAY), announced today the worldwide availability of ADVIA Centaur® XP Immunoassay System. ADVIA Centaur XP system is a fully-automated, high-throughput immunoassay system enabling hospitals and reference laboratories to perform up to 240 tests per-hour to keep pace with peak load times. ADVIA Centaur XP system provides a portfolio of 65 disease state tests, and over 226 specific allergens and mixes, providing consolidation while balancing a laboratory’s need for improved patient care.

ADVIA Centaur XP system is the next-generation of Bayer’s market-leading ADVIA Centaur® system. ADVIA Centaur XP system uses the same proven assay methodologies and reagent packs as ADVIA Centaur system and ADVIA Centaur® CP system. The comprehensive menu of disease state assay groups – including cardiovascular, oncology, fertility, and infectious disease testing capabilities – currently available on the ADVIA Centaur system and ADVIA Centaur CP system are also available on ADVIA Centaur XP system.

ADVIA Centaur XP system expands reagent and supply capacity, and adds new user-friendly software. The system performs automatic repeat and reflex testing, including confirmatory infectious disease testing, without the need for manual intervention. The system also integrates BayerCare ConnectSM, a network application of customer support tools, to enhance laboratory operation and efficiency.

“Our aim is to better serve our customers by offering more analytical platforms, more assays and improved connectivity and integration,” said Tony Bihl, President of Bayer Diagnostics. “The addition of ADVIA Centaur XP system to Bayer’s portfolio provides additional ease-of-use, automation, and expanded capabilities for significant impact on productivity in a laboratory, while improving patient care.”

About Bayer HealthCare AG
Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer HealthCare generated sales amounting to some 9.4 billion euros and employed 33.800 people worldwide in 2005.

The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care, Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The new Pharmaceuticals division was established on January 1, 2006, and comprises the former Biological Products and Pharmaceutical divisions. Pharmaceuticals now has three business units: Hematology/Cardiology, Oncology and Primary Care.

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 with 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.

Contact Information

Dr. Gisela Lenz

Diagnostics/Diabetes Care

Bayer HealthCare AG

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