French drug company Sanofi-Aventis SA (SNY) said Friday that it has completed the acquisition of Merck & Co Inc's (MRK) 50% interest in Merial Limited.

MAIN FACTS:

-Sanofi-Aventis acquired Merck's interest in Merial for a cash consideration of $4 billion.

-Formed in 1997, Merial is a leading animal health company that was a 50/50 joint venture between Merck and Sanofi-Aventis and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis.

-The acquisition of Merial is expected to be accretive to Sanofi-Aventis' adjusted net income from the first year.

-As per the terms of the agreement signed on July 29, Sanofi-Aventis also has an option, following the closing of the Merck/Schering-Plough merger, to combine the Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health business with Merial to form an animal health joint venture that would be equally owned by the new Merck and Sanofi-Aventis. If the option is exercised by Sanofi-Aventis, the formation of the new animal health joint venture would be subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities.

Company Web site: www.sanofi-aventis.com

-By Paris Bureau, Dow Jones Newswires; +331-4017-1740; alice.dore@dowjones.com