On May 14, Total and Institut Pasteur signed in Shanghai a three-year scientific partnership aimed at reinforcing viral hepatitis prevention programs in China.

　　Under the agreement, Total will provide Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences (“IPS-CAS”) with RMB 5 million to support the program in China over the next three years. The joint effort will cover three strategic domains, including fundamental and applied research, training, and educational activities on viral hepatitis prevention in China to provide information on how to prevent the diseases.

　　The funding by Total follows an October 2005 agreement between Total Group and the Institut Pasteur on a five-year global partnership to strengthen scientific and human resources allocated to the fight against infectious diseases.

　　Attending the ceremony were His Excellency Mr. Herve Ladsous, the French Ambassador in China, Mr. Thierry Mathou, the French Consul General in Shanghai, Mrs. Xu Zuxin, Vice-Chairman of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission, Prof. Zhu Zhiyuan, Vice-President of Shanghai Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and representatives from Shanghai Bureau of Public Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences of CAS, as well as representatives from Total and IPS-CAS.

　　Before starting his introduction address, Prof. Vincent Deubel, Director General of IPS-CAS expressed and conveyed the message of friendship and solidarity to People in Sichuan and surrounding provinces amid the tough times inflicted by an unforeseeable disaster.

　　“We appreciate the support from Total and the good example Total is setting for other companies,” said Pr. Vincent Deubel, Director General of IPS-CAS. In fact, IPS-CAS is a model of a successful cultural and scientific mix, thanks to its three founders: CAS, Shanghai Municipality and Institut Pasteur. IPS-CAS, thanks to its precise scientific strategy, its highly qualified researchers, and the constant support of its partners, has gained in less than 3 years an amount of trust and renown that surpasses the boundaries of China. IPS-CAS is constantly seeking new collaboration paths with public health institutions, such as CDC in Shanghai and China. The new partnership between Total and Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, gives IPS-CAS new hopes of moving faster and better towards groundbreaking solutions to prevent viral diseases – and, in particular, Hepatitis B and C.

　　“We are pleased to undertake this joint effort with one of the world’s leading biomedical research institutes in fighting infectious diseases,” said Jacques de Boisséson, General Representative of Total in China. “Public health is priority of Total, in particular in China. The partnership of Total China with Institut Pasteur of Shanghai is a follow-up to strategy of Total public health initiatives in China. The best initiative should be conducted by best researchers. The Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences is deemed to do such work. This partnership is the first application of Total action in Asia, under the agreement of Total Group and Institut Pasteur, thus has important significance than project itself.

　　His Excellency Mr. Ladsous, congratulated the partnership of Total China with Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, by praising it as a symbol of friendship, solidarity, citizen responsibility, fraternity, beside business. He commented that IPS-CAS has reached a new remark of success with a series of activities in research and training in less than 3 years aimed to be pole of excellence. He was proud of Total as an active actor in public health. He recognized this partnership as a beautiful initiative and wished the cooperation a great success.