PARIS, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AXA announces today the creation of a Euro 100 million global AXA RESEARCH FUND to be launched in early 2008. Top-rate academic research is crucial to the continued development of the global economy and to the technologies and talents that will drive this development in future generations. Ensuring that adequate funding is available for academic research projects is not the exclusive domain or responsibility of governmental and academic institutions. AXA believes that the private sector can, and should, play an important role in promoting meaningful academic research consistent with its larger social responsibilities. In this context, the AXA Group has decided to launch the AXA RESEARCH FUND managed by a Scientific Board chaired by Ezra Suleiman professor of political science at Princeton University and independent member of the AXA Supervisory Board. AXA has committed a total of Euro 100,000,000 to the Fund over 5 years. The Fund will support academic research institutions and individuals involved in post doctorate research programs and will support academic research projects in the following areas associated with AXA's business of Financial Protection: -- Comprehension and prevention of core risks for the human being and his environment: health and pandemics, population ageing and long term care, environment and climate -- Finance theories and financial markets -- Sciences, technology and information systems: web 2.0 and virtual worlds -- Marketing, consumer expectations and behaviours -- Human sciences and sociology of organizations. "The AXA RESEARCH FUND is another example of how the private sector can make meaningful and lasting contributions to society as a whole. By supplementing funds available from more traditional sources, the AXA RESEARCH FUND will help ensure that funding is available to pursue the type of high quality, independent academic research needed to address some of society's most pressing issues and to develop the talent and know-how that our societies will need to deal with these issues going forward. I am proud that AXA is in a position to sponsor this initiative," said Henri de Castries, Chairman of the Management Board of AXA. The AXA RESEARCH FUND will be officially launched at a press conference to be held in Paris -- France -- in January 2008. Details of the governance of the Fund and the precise areas of actions as well as the first projects to be funded will then be presented to the public. About AXA AXA Group is a worldwide leader in Financial Protection. AXA's operations are diverse geographically, with major operations in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific area. For full year 2006, IFRS revenues amounted to Euro 79 billion and IFRS adjusted earnings amounted to Euro 5,140 million. AXA's stock is listed on the Paris Bourse and the NY Stock Exchange, and is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, FTSE4GOOD and ASPI Eurozone ethical indices. This press release is available on the AXA Group web site: http://www.axa.com/ DATASOURCE: AXA Group CONTACT: AXA Investor Relations: Etienne Bouas-Laurent, +33-1-40-75-46-85, or Paul-Antoine Cristofari, +33-1-40-75-73-60, or Emmanuel Touzeau, +33-1-40-75-49-05; AXA Media Relations: Christophe Dufraux, +33-1-40-75-46-74, or Armelle Vercken, +33-1-40-75-46-42 Web site: http://www.axa.com/ http://www.axa-equitable.com/

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