FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NFL Announces Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline as First-Ever
Multi-Year “Proud Sponsors of the NFL” in the
Pharmaceutical Category

Multi-Year Agreement to Feature Men’s Health Education Campaign 

New York, NY, July 16, 2003 - The National Football League (NFL) announced today a groundbreaking, three-year sponsorship agreement with Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Bayer) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

This represents the first official multi-year sponsorship for the NFL with pharmaceutical companies. Bayer and GSK will be “Proud Sponsors of the NFL” which includes exclusive rights in the men’s health category. Bayer and GSK signed a co-promotion and co-development agreement for LEVITRA â (vardenafil HCI), an investigational new drug awaiting approval from FDA.

As official sponsors, Bayer and GSK will benefit from the NFL’s position as America’s favorite sport.  Each week, 120 million people watch NFL games on television providing a unique opportunity to reach the League’s fans with important messages about men’s health.

“We are pleased to welcome Bayer and GSK to our prestigious roster of corporate sponsors,” said John Collins, NFL Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales. “The NFL is taking an ambitious step in entering the men’s health category. We look forward to working with Bayer and GSK to educate our fans about important health issues.”   

“The NFL is the most admired sports league in the US and Bayer and GSK are delighted and proud to be joining them on this groundbreaking, innovative initiative,” said David Pernock, Senior Vice-President with GlaxoSmithKline US Pharmaceuticals.

 “The men’s health education campaign will bring important information to men and their loved ones, with the overall goal of encouraging men to proactively manage their health and visit their doctor,” said Colin Foster, President, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation.  

About Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation is part of the worldwide operations of Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG. Bayer HealthCare is one of the world's leading innovators in the health care and medical products industry.

Bayer HealthCare combines the global activities of the business groups of Bayer AG in the fields of Animal Health, Biological Products, Consumer Care, Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals. More than 34,000 employees support the worldwide operations of Bayer HealthCare.

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.

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.

About GSK
GlaxoSmithKline - one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies - is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

Under the safe harbor provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by the company, including those made in this Announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that may affect the Group's operations are discussed under risk factors in the Company's Preliminary Announcement of Results for the Year Ended 31st December 2002.

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Contacts:
Michael Fleming                                                          Lara Crissey
GlaxoSmithKline                                                         Bayer HealthCare
919-483-2839                                                              203-812-6558
michael.d.fleming@gsk.com                                         lara.crissey.b@bayer.com

Brian McCarthy                                                           Rob Bronfeld
National Football League                                              Alan Taylor Communications
212-450-2069                                                              212-714-1280, ext, 291
mccarthyb@nfl.com                                                     rob@alantaylor.com