LONG-ACTING BIOSYNTHETIC INSULIN SUBMITTED FOR

                 Regulatory Approval in US and Europe 

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. and FRANKFURT, Germany, April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoechst Marion Roussel announced today that it has submitted insulin glargine, a long-acting, once-daily basal insulin, for the approval of both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicinal Evaluations Agency (EMEA).

"Hoechst Marion Roussel has a long and distinguished history as an innovator in the development of insulins. The development of insulin glargine enhances that rich heritage and underscores our ongoing commitment to offer novel products that will help people with diabetes to achieve better control of the disease," said Frank L. Douglas, executive vice president and head of Drug Innovation & Approval. "Because there is a significant medical need for new treatment options for the management of diabetes, we are pleased that we were able to effectively accelerate development of this new insulin and submit it for simultaneous consideration in the US and Europe."

Insulin glargine is a biosynthetic insulin that differs from human insulin in three amino acids which change its physical properties and slow its release from the subcutaneous tissue into the circulation, providing continuous delivery throughout the day and night. As a result, it is long-acting and can be administered once daily in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. In clinical studies, it was shown that insulin glargine imitates the human physiological basal insulin secretion.

Diabetes is a chronic and widespread condition that results when the body produces either no insulin or amounts of insulin that are inadequate to metabolize sugars normally. Diabetes affects more than 142 million people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, the global incidence of diabetes is expected to double by the year 2025.

Unless properly treated, diabetes can result in serious medical complications that include kidney failure, blindness, cardiovascular and neurological conditions. The American Diabetes Association estimates the combined direct and indirect annual cost of the disease at $98 billion in the US alone.

Hoechst Marion Roussel, a world leader in pharmaceutical-based health care, is dedicated to extending and enhancing human life through the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products. Its major products are among the world's leading therapies for allergic, metabolic, and central nervous systems disorders and cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, Hoechst Marion Roussel is the pharmaceutical company of Hoechst AG, an international company that focuses on life sciences.

Statements in this news release other than historical information are
forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual
results could differ materially depending on factors such as the
availability of resources, the timing and effects of regulatory
actions, the strengths of competition, the outcome of litigation and
the effectiveness of patent protection. Additional information
regarding risks and uncertainties is set forth in the Registration
Statement on Form 20-F and other documents of Hoechst AG on file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Hoechst Marion Roussel

-0-                             04/23/99 /CONTACT:  Lori Kraut (US), 
908-231-5752, or Charles Rouse III (US), 816-966-4052, or Felicitas 
Feick (Germany), 49-69-305-4995, all for Hoechst Marion Roussel/ 

(HOE)
CO: Hoechst Marion Roussel; US Food and Drug Administration;
European

Medicinal Evaluations Agency; Hoechst AG ST: New Jersey, Germany IN: MTC SU: PDT