Media Contacts:

New York

Marcia Tierney
AXA Financial, Inc.
212-314-3731
marcia.tierney@axa-financial.com

Equitable Introduces Athena Universal Life Series
Flexible Premium Universal and Survivorship Universal Life Insurance Policies

New York, N.Y. - The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc., has introduced the Athena Universal Life Series, a new series of permanent life insurance products including Athena Universal Life and Athena Survivorship Life. The Athena Universal Life Series is composed of flexible premium universal life insurance policies that offer protection and guarantees for the long-term. The announcement was made by Deanna Mulligan, executive vice president, Product and Market Development.

The Athena Universal Life Series offers several features that help to reduce risk, guarantee protection and increase flexibility to assist clients in managing financial challenges. These benefits include guaranteed lifetime lapse protection until age 100 - offering a degree of dependability that isn’t always available in traditional universal life policies; flexible premiums; a cash value component that grows tax-deferred; a choice of death benefits; and a broad selection of policy riders. Additionally, the Athena Survivorship Universal Life insures two lives and allows clients to take full advantage of the unlimited martial deduction, while offering a death benefit upon the death of the second person that can be used to pay estate tax and other expenses.

"Athena Life products are designed for consumers who are interested in guaranteed protection, when cash value accumulation is not a priority," stated Ms. Mulligan. "This new product series provides life insurance protection with the opportunity for lifetime guarantees and allows for the flexibility to move to a variable life contract, without any new underwriting."

Financial products issued by The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. are distributed through AXA Network, LLC, AXA Advisors, LLC and AXA Distributors, LLC wholly-owned subsidiaries of AXA Financial, Inc.

AXA Financial, Inc., with approximately $415 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2002, is one of the world’s premier financial services organizations through its strong brands: The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S., AXA Advisors, LLC, Alliance Capital Management, L.P., Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., and its premier wholesale distribution organization, AXA Distributors, LLC. AXA Financial is a member of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection and wealth management. The global AXA Group’s operations are diverse geographically, with major operations in Western Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific region. AXA Group had $778 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2002 and reported total revenues of $70 billion, and underlying earnings of $1.60 billion for the year ending December 31, 2002. The AXA ordinary share is listed and trades under the symbol AXA on the Paris Stock Exchange. The AXA American Depositary Share is also listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol AXA.

Athena Universal Life, a flexible premium universal life insurance policy, is issued by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (Equitable), New York, NY 10104 (212) 554-1234. All guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of Equitable. This product has limitations.