ALEVE(R) - Helping British Columbians with Joint and Arthritis Pain Get Back
to Doing the Activities They Love

~ Now Available Over-the-Counter in British Columbia ~

TORONTO , Jan. 28 /CNW/ - This winter, British Columbians may be inspired to increase their activity level and take part in some favourite winter pastimes. For those who have joint and arthritis pain, getting back to doing the activities they love may be more of a challenge. ALEVE(R) is the first over-the-counter naproxen sodium tablet, and is now available province-wide. With just one pill, ALEVE(R) offers convenient access to pain relief for up to 12 hours.

Boomers are leaders in health and lifestyle management, and according to Statistics Canada , Canadians aged 60 and over have more time for leisure than others (28 per cent of their time).

ALEVE(R) can help the men and women in British Columbia with arthritis get back to doing the activities they love to do without their arthritis pain getting in the way. ALEVE(R), which is marketed and manufactured by Bayer HealthCare, is available over-the-counter in a 24-count bottle in British Columbia with a larger 100-count bottle available behind-the-counter - just ask the pharmacist.

"Arthritis and joint pain impacts many Canadians," said Steven McNair, President and CEO of The Arthritis Society. "The availability of a new therapy that helps people with arthritis is always good news for the more than half a million British Columbians living with arthritis and related painful bone and joint conditions."

Pain surfaces in many ways and those who suffer from joint and arthritis pain often feel that their pain interferes with getting on with their life, with being productive, and with moving around freely - making their active movements from just a few years ago seem like a distant memory. With long-lasting pain relief, British Columbia boomers with joint and arthritis pain can reacquaint themselves with the winter activities they love to do. Whether it be tackling the slopes, trekking the backcountry in snowshoes, playing pond hockey or just simply walking the dog, British Columbians now have convenient access to Aleve(R), providing an option that relieves pain for up to 12 hours.

About ALEVE(R)

ALEVE(R), which is available without a prescription in British Columbia in both 24 and 100-count bottles, provides convenient access to another effective pain reliever. It is recommended at a twice-daily dose of 220 mg and works to treat pain quickly where it starts.(1) With just one pill, ALEVE(R) offers up to 12 hours of relief from daily pain and stiffness of arthritis, including morning stiffness, and arthritis pain at rest, on passive motion, on weight bearing and pain experienced day or night. (2)

In self-medication, ALEVE(R) should only be used for a short-term treatment period of up to five days for pain and three days for fever. Otherwise a doctor should be consulted. Proper use of ALEVE(R): Adults (12-65 years) can take one caplet every 8-12 hours. Adults over 65 years can take one caplet every 12 hours. Consumers should not take more than two caplets in a 24 hour period.

To be sure the product is suitable for you, always read and follow the label.

Visit aleve.ca for more information.

About Arthritis

Arthritis is among Canada's most common chronic conditions, affecting more than 4.5 million Canadians.(3) Joint pain and inflammation are common symptoms of arthritis. Arthritis affects more adults than cancer, heart disease, respiratory conditions and spinal cord trauma. (4)

About Bayer Inc.

Bayer Inc. (Bayer) is a Canadian subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international research-based group with core businesses in health care, crop science and innovative materials. Headquartered in Toronto , Ontario, Bayer Inc. operates the Bayer Group's HealthCare and MaterialScience businesses in Canada . Bayer Crop Science Inc., headquartered in Calgary , Alberta operates as a separate legal entity in Canada . Together, the companies play a vital role in improving the quality of life for Canadians - producing products that fight diseases, protecting crops and animals, and developing high-performance materials for applications in numerous areas of daily life. Canadian Bayer facilities include the Toronto headquarters and offices in Montréal and Calgary .

Bayer Inc. has approximately 900 employees across Canada and had sales of $908 million CDN in 2008. Globally, the Bayer Group had sales of over 32 billion Euro in 2008. Bayer Inc. invested approximately $36 million CDN in research and development in 2008. Worldwide, the Bayer Group spent the equivalent of over 2.6 billion Euro in 2008 in R&D. For more information, go to www.bayer.ca.

Visit www.aleve.ca, or for more information on managing arthritis in Canada , please visit www.arthritis.ca

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup 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 Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

References

(1) ALEVE(R) (naproxen sodium tablets, 220 mg) Product Monograph, pg. 3, Bayer Inc., April 18, 2009 .

(2) ALEVE(R) (naproxen sodium tablets, 220 mg) Product Monograph, pg. 3, Bayer Inc., April 18, 2009 .

(3) The Arthritis Society web site: http://www.arthritis.ca/resources%20for%20advocates/positions/default.asp?s=1.

(4) The Arthritis Society web site: http://www.arthritis.ca/resources%20for%20advocates/positions/default.asp?s=1.

For further information: or to arrange an interview, please contact: Laura Burns, Bayer HealthCare, [phone], [email protected]; Jennifer Runza, MS&L, [phone], [email protected]