Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives. We use innovative science and technology to address some of society's most challenging healthcare issues. We discover and develop breakthrough treatments and find new ways to deliver them to as many people as possible. We also aim to reward those who invest their money, time and ideas in our company.
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Strategy

Our strategy is to build a leading, focused medicines company powered by advanced therapy platforms and data science.
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Novartis Pipeline

Our industry leading portfolio is focused on transforming the standard of care for patients worldwide.
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Products

Learn more about treatments currently offered by Novartis Innovative Medicines, Sandoz and Advanced Accelerator Applications.

Our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world

 

Divisions

Novartis is structured to deliver innovative products, exploit global scale, and respond to new opportunities and risks.

Scientists conducting innovative research experiments

Innovative Medicines

Innovative Medicines, made up of two separate commercial organizations, Innovative Medicines International and Innovative Medicines US, commercializes innovative patented medicines to enhance health outcomes.
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Sandoz

Sandoz is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars that pioneers novel approaches to help people around the world access high-quality medicines.

Supporting units

Global Drug Development (GDD)

GDD oversees the development of new medicines and manages Novartis clinical trials to bring innovative medicines to patients.

Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR)

NIBR collaborates across scientific and organizational boundaries, focusing on powerful new technologies to help produce therapeutic breakthroughs.

Operations

Operations includes Manufacturing and Supply, and Services and Technology Solutions, providing high-quality products, services and technology solutions.

 

Novartis companies

Advanced Accelerator Applications

Advanced Accelerator Applications is a Novartis company focused exclusively on radioligand therapy and precision imaging.

Chinook Therapeutics

Chinook is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering, developing and commercializing precision medicines for rare, severe chronic kidney diseases.

Gyroscope Therapeutics

Gyroscope Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on diseases of the eye.

Novartis leadership

Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Organizational structure
Collaboration in diversity, equity and inclusion

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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Quality
Novartis and the EU
Awards and Recognition

History of Novartis

Novartis was created in 1996 through a merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz. Novartis and its predecessor companies trace roots back more than 250 years, with a rich history of developing innovative products.

  • In 1758, Johann Rudolf Geigy-Gemuseus (1733-1793) founds the trading company J.R. Geigy in Basel, Switzerland to deal in "Materials, Chemicals, Dyes and Drugs of all Kinds." View
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  • In 1859, Alexander Clavel (1805-1873) takes up the production of fuchsine, a synthetic dye, in his silk dyeing factory in Basel, Switzerland. View
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  • The chemical company Kern & Sandoz is founded in Basel, Switzerland in 1886 by Dr. Alfred Kern (1850-1893) and Edouard Sandoz (1853-1928). The first dyes produced are alizarin blue and auramine. View
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  • In 1900, Ciba produces its first pharmaceutical substances: Vioform, an antiseptic, and Salen, an antirheumatic agent. This image shows pharmaceutical research at Ciba in Basel, Switzerland in 1914. View
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  • In 1917, Professor Arthur Stoll creates a pharmaceutical department at Sandoz, and research begins. View
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  • Geigy President Louis von Planta and CIBA President Robert Käppeli shake hands to conclude the merger of CIBA-GEIGY in 1970. View
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  • In 1996, the merger of Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy creates Novartis, one of the world's largest healthcare companies. This image, taken on February 3, 1997, shows the old logo being changed out at the Novartis St. Johann site in Basel. View
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  • Novartis unifies and strengthens its global research network in 2002 by creating the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), headquartered in the US in Cambridge, Massachusetts. View
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  • In 2010, Novartis becomes the world leader in eye care when it acquires majority ownership in Alcon, Inc., based in the US in Fort Worth, Texas. View
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  • In 2015, Novartis completes a series of transactions that focus the company on three divisions: Innovative Medicines, Alcon (eye care) and Sandoz (generic medicines). View
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  • On April 9, 2019 Alcon became a separately traded standalone company as Novartis strengthened its focus on innovative medicines View
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25 Years of Novartis

From dyes and chemicals to breakthrough innovation. Although only 25 years young, Novartis has a rich company history that roots back more than 250 years.

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