RNS Number:8598O
Bayer AG
20 August 2003


USA:


FDA Grants Bayer Approval for Levitra(R)

Leverkusen - Bayer AG announced today that Levitra (vardenafil HCI) has been 
approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of
erectile dysfunction (ED). Co-developed and co-promoted by Bayer AG and
GlaxoSmithKline plc, Levitra is a PDE-5 inhibitor and provides men in the United
States the first alternative treatment option tor the treatment ED since five
years. It is expected that Levitra will be available in U.S. pharmacies
nationwide within the next few weeks.

"We are delighted that approval has been granted by the FDA, offering us the
concrete opportunity to launch Levitra in the United States and to develop the
business further," said Werner Wenning, Chairman of the Board of Management of
Bayer AG, Leverkusen.

"Levitra has the potential to become a new blockbuster product with projected
sales of more than 1 billion EUR. We are very satisfied with how Levitra has
developed since it was launched in major countries around the globe. I am
confident that the launch in the United States will make a significant
contribution towards driving the future success of Levitra and Bayer HealthCare, 
the subgroup of Bayer AG," emphasized Werner Wenning.

Levitra has now been approved in more than 50 countries globally.


As previously disclosed, Pfizer has filed suit in the United States alleging
that one of its patents would be infringed by the sale of Levitra.  The case is
in its early stages.  Bayer HealthCare, a future subgroup of Bayer AG with
annual sales amounting to some EUR 10 billion, is one of the world's leading,
innovative companies in the health care and medical products industry.

Bayer HealthCare combines the global activities of the animal Health, Biological
Products, Consumer Care, Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals divisions.  More than
34,000 employees work for Bayer HealthCare worldwide.  Our work at Bayer
HealthCare is to discover and manufacture innovative products for the purpose of
improving human and animal health worldwide. Our products enhance well-being and
quality of life by diagnosing preventing and treating disease.


Leverkusen, August 20, 2003


Bayer AG, Investor Relations contacts:

Dr. Alexander Rosar (+49-214-30-81013) 
Dr. Juergen Beunink (+49-214-30-65742)
Peter Dahlhoff (+49-214-30-33022) 
Judith Nestmann (+49-214-30-66836)

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
forwarding-looking statements or to conform them to future events or
developments.




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