Slide Presentation

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULES 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Month of September 2003
SANOFI-SYNTHELABO
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

174, avenue de France, 75013 Paris, FRANCE
(Address of principal executive offices)



  (Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)

Form 20-F    X      Form 40-F       


  (Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes           No    X   


  (If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-_______________.







ANNEXES







Explanatory notes:

All figures in this press release are in French GAAP.

In this press release, we refer to our historical sales as “reported” sales.
In addition to reported sales, we also present and discuss two other non-GAAP indicators that we believe are useful measurement tools to explain changes in our reported sales:

Comparable sales: When we refer to the change in our sales on a “comparable” basis, we mean that we exclude the impact of exchange rate fluctuations and changes in Group structure (acquisitions and divestitures of entities and rights to products as well as change in the consolidation percentage for consolidated entities).
For any two periods, we exclude the impact of exchange rates by recalculating sales for the earlier period on the basis of exchange rates used in the later period. We exclude the impact of acquisitions by including sales for a portion of the prior period equal to the portion of the current period during which we owned the entity or product rights based on sales information we receive from the party from whom we make the acquisition. Similarly, we exclude sales in the relevant portion of the prior period when we have sold an entity or rights to a product.
For a change in the consolidation percentage of a consolidated entity, the prior period is recalculated on the basis of the consolidation method used for the current period.

Developed sales When we refer to “developed sales” of a product, we mean consolidated sales, excluding sales of products to our alliance partners, but including those that are made through our alliances and which are not included in our consolidated sales (with Bristol-Myers Squibb on Plavix ® /Iscover ® (clopidogrel) and Aprovel ® /Avapro ® /Karvea ® (irbesartan), with Fujisawa on Stilnox ® /Myslee ® (zolpidem), and with Organon on Arixtra ® (fondaparinux)). Our alliance partners provide us with information regarding their sales in order to allow us to calculate developed sales.
We believe that developed sales are useful measurement tool because they demonstrate trends in the overall presence of our productsin the market.

SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: September 5, 2003

SANOFI-SYNTHELABO


By: /s/ Marie-Helene Laimay              
       Name: Marie-Helene Laimay
       Title:   Senior Vice President and
                   Chief Financial Officer