"Despite the challenges facing our industry today," continued Hassan, "we remain confident about one thing: that innovator companies - those that can discover and deliver valuable new medicines - should continue to do well. We have shown that we are one of those companies."

For the 2008 fourth quarter, Schering-Plough reported net income available to common shareholders of $442 million or 27 cents per common share on a GAAP basis. Earnings per common share for the 2008 fourth quarter would have been 39 cents on net income of $633 million on a reconciled basis, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, special and acquisition-related items, and $22 million of income from the termination of a respiratory joint venture with Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck). For the 2007 fourth quarter, Schering-Plough reported a net loss available to common shareholders of $3.4 billion or $2.08 per common share on a GAAP basis and earnings of 27 cents per common share on a reconciled basis.

GAAP net sales for the 2008 fourth quarter totaled $4.3 billion, up 17 percent as compared to the fourth quarter of 2007, reflecting an unfavorable impact from foreign exchange of 6 percent. Sales for the quarter benefited from the inclusion of net sales of products from Organon BioSciences N.V. (OBS), which was acquired on Nov. 19, 2007. Net sales of the global cholesterol joint venture, which include VYTORIN and ZETIA, totaled $1.1 billion in the 2008 fourth quarter and were down 26 percent, primarily due to lower sales in the U.S. Schering-Plough does not record sales of its cholesterol joint venture with Merck as the venture is accounted for under the equity method. Including an adjustment of an assumed 50 percent of the global cholesterol joint venture net sales, Schering-Plough's adjusted net sales for the 2008 fourth quarter would have been $4.9 billion.

Said Hassan on the company's research pipeline: "We are rich in potential first-in-class and best-in-class compounds - and excited that the strength of our innovation is coming through. With 12 new entities in Phase III or pre-registration, we believe ours is an industry-leading late-stage pipeline."

In addition, many of Schering-Plough's key prescription products are protected by long periods of expected exclusivity, with most protected well into the next decade. "At a time when many others in the industry are facing pipeline droughts and patent cliffs, we believe we're in the sweet spot on product flow and expected exclusivity. This gives us a special edge."

The company has made major progress in building strength and diversity - across its businesses, geographic presence and product portfolio. Important assets include its leading Animal Health business and innovative Consumer Health Care unit. A key action was the acquisition of Organon BioSciences in November 2007 and its successful integration. The OBS acquisition added new treatment categories (women's health and central nervous system), expanded the product pipeline with promising late-stage compounds, and made Schering-Plough the world's largest animal health company. In the first half of 2008, the company had already achieved its full-year OBS accretion target.

Fourth Quarter 2008 Results
For the 2008 fourth quarter, Schering-Plough reported net income available to common shareholders of $442 million or 27 cents per common share on a GAAP basis. Earnings per common share for the 2008 fourth quarter would have been 39 cents on net income of $633 million on a reconciled basis, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, special and acquisition-related items and $22 million of income from the termination of a respiratory joint venture with Merck. For the 2007 fourth quarter, Schering-Plough reported a net loss available to common shareholders of $3.4 billion or $2.08 per common share on a GAAP basis and earnings of 27 cents per common share on a reconciled basis, which excludes acquisition-related items and an upfront R&D payment.

Full-Year 2008 Results
Schering-Plough's full-year 2008 financial results include results of operations for OBS. For the full-year 2008, Schering-Plough reported net income available to common shareholders of $1.6 billion or $1.01 per common share on a GAAP basis. Earnings per common share on a reconciled basis grew 28 percent to $1.75, excluding purchase accounting adjustments, special and acquisition-related items, a $160 million pre-tax gain from the divestitures of certain animal health products, $105 million of income from the termination of a respiratory joint venture with Merck, and other specified items. For the full-year 2007, Schering-Plough reported a net loss of $1.6 billion or $1.04 per common share on a GAAP basis, which included $3.8 billion of acquired in-process research and development charges related to the purchase accounting of the OBS acquisition. Excluding purchase accounting adjustments, special and acquisition-related items and other specified items, Schering-Plough's full-year 2007 earnings per common share were $1.37.

Schering-Plough reported full-year 2008 GAAP net sales of $18.5 billion, a 46 percent increase, compared to $12.7 billion in 2007, including a favorable impact of 3 percent from foreign exchange. The increase was primarily due to the acquisition of OBS on Nov. 19, 2007. Schering-Plough's adjusted net sales for 2008 totaled $20.8 billion, an increase of $5.6 billion as compared to $15.2 billion on an adjusted basis in 2007. The company noted that for 2009 U.S. sales of VYTORIN and ZETIA are expected to be lower than in 2008 while international sales, excluding the impact of foreign exchange, should continue to grow.

About Schering-Plough
Schering-Plough is an innovation-driven, science-centered global health care company. Through its own biopharmaceutical research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough creates therapies that help save and improve lives around the world. The company applies its research-and-development platform to human prescription, animal health and consumer healthcare products. Schering-Plough's vision is to Earn Trust, Every Day with the doctors, patients, customers and other stakeholders served by its colleagues around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web site is www.schering-plough.com.