6.29.2006 - 10:05am ET

(CSRwire) Woonsocket, RI - CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide raised more than $2 million to support ALS research (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) through a customer donation campaign held in stores from June 3 to June 24, 2006. Since the campaign's inception in 2002, CVS/pharmacy has raised nearly $8 million. CVS/pharmacy customers had the opportunity to make a $1 donation at the register, with the monies raised going directly to the ALS Therapy Alliance to support a series of ALS research initiatives at several medical centers, including Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

"It's incredibly gratifying to see how CVS/pharmacy's fundraising efforts for ALS have grown from grassroots efforts into a multi-million dollar initiative," said Eileen Howard Dunn, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Community Relations for CVS/pharmacy. "The funds CVS/pharmacy raised this year for ALS exceeded our goal of $2 million. It's really amazing what a $1 contribution can do."

Continued support from CVS/pharmacy has been used to establish and run a laboratory specifically focused on ALS genetics at the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), as well as for an international ALS genetics initiative. MIND researchers have already collaborated in the discovery of three ALS genes.

"We have been so moved by customer response to this fundraising campaign over the last four years and are very appreciative of CVS/pharmacy's continued support this year," said Dr. Robert Brown Jr., MD, PhD, director of the Cecil B. Day Laboratory for Neuromuscular Research at MGH, who leads the program. "These donations have been pivotal in providing additional research support that can help find a cure for ALS and insight into potential treatments for other related diseases."

The ALS Therapy Alliance's innovative initiative brings together ALS researchers from all over the world to take advantage of new technologies and information provided by the Human Genome Project. The ALS Therapy Alliance includes researchers from Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham & Women's Hospital and the University of Massachusetts and supports investigators from China, Germany, Britain, and Turkey.

CVS/pharmacy will present a check to the ALS Therapy Alliance prior to the August 21, Red Sox game on the field at Fenway Park. As part of the continued 5-year partnership between CVS/pharmacy and the Red Sox, the check presentation demonstrates their shared commitment to supporting those with disabilities.

CVS is America's largest retail pharmacy, operating more than 6,100 retail and specialty pharmacy stores in 44 states and the District of Columbia. With more than 40 years of dynamic growth in the retail pharmacy industry, CVS is committed to being the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use. CVS has created innovative approaches to serve the healthcare needs of all customers through its CVS/pharmacy stores; its online pharmacy, CVS.com; and its pharmacy benefit management, mail order and specialty pharmacy subsidiary, PharmaCare. General information about CVS is available through the Investor Relations portion of the Company's website, at http://investor.cvs.com, as well as through the pressroom portion of the Company's website, at www.cvs.com/pressroom.

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