BAYER’S ASCENSIA™ BRAND SPONSORS FIRST SKIPPPER WITH DIABETES IN AROUND ALONE SAILING RACE

- Rollover Test July 26th in Barrington, RI -

John Dennis Photo: www.aroundalone.com

NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, JULY 26, 2002 -- Ascensia™, the new brand name for Bayer self-management diabetes monitors and services, today announced sponsorship for skipper John Dennis in Around Alone, a 28-thousand mile solo sailing race spanning the world’s most remote and dangerous oceans. John Dennis, a 57-year old commercial real estate manager from Toronto, will be making history with this race as the first skipper with diabetes to compete in a solo global yacht race. The announcement was made in conjunction with the planned “rollover” at 10:30 am, Friday, July 26th at the Brewer Cove Haven Marina in Barrington, Rhode Island. The rollover is a dramatic test in which the boat and skipper are turned completely upside down in the water as part of the certification requirements for the race.

John Dennis has sailed more than 40 long-distance voyages covering more than 90,000 nautical miles. Adding a solo global race to his achievements has been his lifelong dream, but eight years ago, before he could achieve his goal, Dennis was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. His successful entry into Around Alone this year is the result of his diligence to bring his diabetes under control maintaining stable blood sugar levels, by monitoring his blood sugar several times each day.

“When I was first diagnosed I thought I’d never be able to fulfill my dream of a solo sail around the world, however, I’ve learned that by regular monitoring and self-management of my blood sugar, I can be fit for racing,” says Dennis. “Having diabetes does mean I have to work harder. Like any skipper I have to monitor the yacht systems and sails on a 24-hour clock, and because of my diabetes I also have to monitor my blood sugar without fail. But I am up to the challenge.”

The dramatic rollover of Dennis’s open 50-foot sailboat involves using a crane to flip the boat in the water and turn it upside down with Dennis inside. The purpose is to both check the boat for leaks and test Dennis’s ability to re-right his boat from a stable capsize. The test is required by the International Monohull Open Class Association as part of the certification requirements for the race. After the rollover the next milestone for Dennis is Wednesday, July 31, when he begins his 21-hundred mile, trans-Atlantic qualifying sail from Newport, R.I. to the Azores. He will return approximately 26 days later.

“Around Alone is the greatest mental and physical challenge in any sport," said Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures plc, race organizer of Around Alone. "This is the first time a skipper with diabetes has been able to compete and we are proud of John for overcoming his personal health issues to take part in this 8 month, 28 thousand mile ultimate classic ocean race - the ultimate sporting challenge. This is a fine example of the personal sacrifice and determination required to sail around the world alone."

Dennis has named his boat “Ascensia” in honor of his principle sponsor, Bayer. Ascensia is the brand name for Bayer’s monitoring products and services for people with diabetes including glucose monitors that allow people with diabetes to test a droplet of blood at different intervals during the day to measure their blood sugar levels. With diabetes it is important to maintain stable sugar levels by adjusting diet, medications and in some cases by taking insulin injections. Ascensia means to “ascend and achieve,” and its slogan Your Life. Your Way. reflects what people with diabetes can achieve if they are diligent about self-managing their condition.

“John is an inspiration to us all, and we are pleased to be able to help John achieve his lifelong dream,” said Joe Malta, vice president, Self-Test Business, Bayer Diagnostics. “Even in the middle of the ocean, John can use an Ascensia DEX? monitor to measure his blood sugar levels to help adjust his diet accordingly. Watching John work toward his goal is living proof that with proper self-management and diligent self-monitoring of blood sugar, diabetes does not have to impede living life to its fullest potential.”

Around Alone is a 28,000 mile single-handed around the world yacht race held every four years since 1982. It is the longest race for any individual in any sport. The solo nature of the event makes John's responsibilities even more difficult because he has to manage his boat and his diabetes without any crew support. The fleet will leave Newport, RI on September 12th, on a Prologue race to New York. Around Alone will start in New York harbor on Sunday, September 15th, as part of the “Sail For America” tribute to the city. The race will then stop in Torbay (England), Cape Town (South Africa), Tauranga (New Zealand), Salvador (Brazil) and finish in Newport, Rhode Island in April 2003.

Ascensia
Ascensia means to ‘ascend and achieve.’ The complete range of Ascensia diabetes care products and services is designed to help patients do just that -- rise above their disease to experience life’s many possibilities. This unique approach is called Your Life. Your Way. This approach reflects Bayer Diagnostics dedication to the principle that Ascensia products and services will help people define their lives in terms of their goals and achievements -- not their diabetes.

Bayer Diagnostics
With approximately 7,000 employees worldwide and 2001 sales of $1.8 billion, Bayer Diagnostics (www.bayerdiag.com), based in Tarrytown, New York, USA, is one of the largest diagnostic businesses in the world. The organization supports customers in 100 countries through an extensive portfolio of central laboratory, self-testing, nucleic acid and near patient care diagnostics systems and services for use in the assessment and management of

health, including the areas of cardiovascular and kidney disease, oncology, virology, women's health and diabetes. Bayer Diagnostics is a part of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $29 billion international health care and chemicals group based in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer Diagnostics' global headquarters in the United States operates as part of Bayer Corporation of Pittsburgh, a research-based company with major businesses in health care, life sciences and chemicals.

Around Alone
Information can be found at www.aroundalone.com. Information contact for the race is Mary Ambler, Media & Race Communications Manager, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 237 088. Email: mambler@clipper-ventures.com ###

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.