Driven

ABBOTT PARK, Illinois - - Diversifies Abbott's pharmaceutical products, expanding international growth platform - Supports long-term strategy to bolster presence in key global emerging markets - Adds substantial R&D spending capacity to accelerate promising pipeline programs - Establishes Abbott's presence in the growing global vaccines market - Provides accretion of approximately US$0.10 to ongoing EPS in 2010, accelerating to more than US$0.20 by 2012, increasing thereafter Abbott today announced a definitive agreement with the Solvay Group for Abbott to acquire Solvay's pharmaceuticals business for EUR 4.5 billion (US$6.6 billion) in cash, providing Abbott with a large and complementary portfolio of pharmaceutical products and a significant presence in key global emerging markets.