The Company Will Actively Pursue Opportunities for Acquisitions

    GENEVA, Switzerland, April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Serono (virt-x:
SEO and NYSE: SRA) announced today that its controlling shareholder, the
Bertarelli family, has terminated discussions concerning a sale of the
Company. The family has indicated that the offers it received did not
adequately reflect the future prospects of the Company.
    "Moving forward, Serono will invest in its existing businesses and will
actively pursue opportunities for growth through acquisitions," said
Ernesto Bertarelli, Chief Executive Officer. "I take this opportunity to
thank our employees for their loyalty and commitment to Serono."
    As previously announced, to provide the Company with the financing
capacity to pursue such alternatives, the Board of Directors will propose
to the forthcoming annual Shareholders meeting on April 25, 2006 an
increase in the authorized share capital of the Company. As and when
required, the authorized share capital will enable the Board of Directors
to obtain financing rapidly through the issuance of additional shares.
    Background material
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please visit the Serono Media Center http://www.thenewsmarket.com/Serono. You can
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    Some of the statements in this press release are forward looking. Such
statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or
achievements of Serono S.A. and affiliates to be materially different from
those expected or anticipated in the forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are based on Serono's current expectations and
assumptions, which may be affected by a number of factors, including those
discussed in this press release and more fully described in Serono's Annual
Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
on February 28, 2006. These factors include any failure or delay in
Serono's ability to develop new products, any failure to receive
anticipated regulatory approvals, any problems in commercializing current
products as a result of competition or other factors, our ability to obtain
reimbursement coverage for our products, the outcome of government
investigations and litigation and government regulations limiting our
ability to sell our products. Serono has no responsibility to update the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect
events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.
    About Serono
    Serono is a global biotechnology leader. The Company has eight
biotechnology products, Rebif(R), Gonal-f(R), Luveris(R), Ovidrel(R
)/Ovitrelle(R), Serostim(R), Saizen(R), Zorbtive(TM) and Raptiva(R). In
addition to being the world leader in reproductive health, Serono has
strong market positions in neurology, metabolism and growth and has
recently entered the psoriasis area. The Company's research programs are
focused on growing these businesses and on establishing new therapeutic
areas, including oncology and autoimmune diseases. Currently, there are
more than 25 on-going development projects.
    In 2005, Serono, whose products are sold in over 90 countries, achieved
worldwide revenues of US$2,586.4 million. Reported net loss in 2005 was
US$106.1 million, reflecting a charge of US$725 million taken relating to
the settlement of the US Attorney's Office investigation of Serostim.
Excluding this charge as well as other non-recurring items, adjusted net
income grew 28.4% to US$565.3 million in 2005. Bearer shares of Serono
S.A., the holding company, are traded on the virt-x (SEO) and its American
Depositary Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (SRA).

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