Basel, Switzerland - 12 November, 2001

The first study evaluating the long-term effectiveness of PEGASYS, peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD), a promising new hepatitis C treatment, has found that 99% of patients remain viral free when examined two to three

years later.

Contact: Sheila Gies, Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading

research-oriented health groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals,

diagnostics and vitamins. Roche's products and services address prevention,

diagnosis and treatment of disease, enhancing well-being and quality of

life.