Stories

History of Novartis
Celtic roots.

More than 2,000 years before the Novartis Campus became a centre of scientific discovery, this site in Basel was home to a thriving Celtic settlement. 

Archaeological finds from the Basel-Gasfabrik area reveal a community shaped by trade, craftsmanship and exchange — a reminder that curiosity, connection and transformation have long been part of this place’s story. 

For audiences in Ireland, that Celtic thread carries a familiar resonance: Celtic languages, art, storytelling and social traditions have also helped shape Irish identity over many centuries. 

From Basel to Ireland, these shared echoes of Celtic heritage offer a powerful reminder of how cultures, ideas and communities have always travelled, adapted and evolved. As the Novartis Campus developed, the company worked closely with Basel-Stadt’s cantonal archaeological research team, helping enable extensive excavation and documentation of the site. That cooperation supported the recovery of more than a million artefacts, preserving an extraordinary record of this early Celtic community for future study. Today, selected finds from the Basel-Gasfabrik settlement can be explored through Basel-Stadt’s archaeological collections and exhibitions, where they continue to bring this remarkable chapter of the site’s history to life.

Jul 17, 2026

Thirty years ago today, the merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz brought together two of Switzerland’s most storied companies and created something new: Novartis.

Approved by the European Commission on July 17, 1996, it was among the largest corporate mergers of its time. More importantly, it united companies whose histories stretched back more than 250 years and whose generations of scientists and innovators saw possibilities where others did not.

The result was a company that redefined what medicine could achieve—and continues to do so today.

“Novartis was built by people who were willing to do things nobody had done before. In fact, many of the biggest advances in medicine began with questions no one knew how to answer. The same courage and curiosity that drove over 250 years of innovation around the world continues today and into the future for patients”.

Vas Narasimhan, Chief Executive Officer of Novartis

From dyes to discoveries

The story began long before 1996.

In the nineteenth century, Basel’s chemical and dye industries became a proving ground for discoveries in chemistry and biology that would eventually help shape modern medicine.

Novartis predecessor companies carried those discoveries into healthcare, expanding from dyes and chemicals into pharmaceuticals as new scientific opportunities emerged.

When those companies came together to form Novartis—a name inspired by the Latin novae artes, or “new arts, new skills”—they brought with them generations of expertise and a determination to push beyond what was possible.

Over the next three decades, that mindset helped turn ideas once considered out of reach into realities for patients.

Along the way, Novartis pioneered one of the first targeted therapies in cancer, brought the first approved cell therapy to patients around the world, advanced efforts to combat malaria, and helped bring gene therapy from a scientific promise to a reality for families affected by a rare genetic disorder.

These advances helped change expectations for diseases that had long been difficult to treat and opened new paths for patients, health care professionals, and researchers.

None of those advances were obvious at the start. Each began with the willingness to go first or a belief that science could go further. People saw possibilities where others saw obstacles and pursued them anyway.

Today, that same spirit continues to guide Novartis.

The company is tackling some of the most challenging diseases, while continuing to advance newer approaches to medicine like radioligand therapy (RLT), gene and cell therapy, and xRNA, so more patients can benefit.

With RLT, for example, Novartis helped transform this breakthrough from a promising concept into a commercially available therapy and continues to advance its potential today, with ongoing efforts to reach more patients and explore its use in more cancers.

Pursuing what’s possible

Discovery only matters if it makes a difference in patients’ lives.

Novartis has helped expand the reach of innovative medicines, advance disease awareness, and support earlier diagnosis and treatment by coming together with like-minded partners—whose experiences help define what matters most.

“Lasting progress is built over time through a shared purpose and a willingness to tackle challenges together,” said Pat Garcia-Gonzalez, co-founder and CEO of The Max Foundation, a global health nonprofit that has partnered with Novartis since 2001 to broaden the reach of cancer medicines. “As Novartis marks 30 years, we are proud to continue working alongside them and others to help expand care, strengthen health systems, and improve the lives of people around the world. And we look forward to even broader collaboration and deeper impact in the years ahead.”

Thirty years after its founding, Novartis continues to explore some of medicine’s toughest unanswered questions, building on generations of scientific curiosity and discovery while looking toward what patients may need next.

The tools may have changed. The science has advanced. And researchers can now explore possibilities that previous generations could scarcely imagine.

Yet the challenge remains familiar: finding new ways to tackle the hardest-to-treat diseases society is facing.

More than 250 years later, the work of reimagining what’s possible continues.

Novartis Ireland is proud to have been recognised as a finalist in the 2026 CIPD Ireland HR Awards for our Maternity Returners Programme, shortlisted in the People & Culture Initiative category.

The nomination acknowledged the work of our People & Organisation (P&O) team in developing a supportive, human‑centred experience for employees returning from maternity leave. The programme was co‑created with returners, managers and P&O partners, and provides a structured approach that strengthens confidence, connection and career continuity. Key elements include a Maternity Returners Toolkit, flexible return pathways, a peer buddy programme, workshops, a returners community, and access to dedicated maternity coaching. 

Launched in Dublin in 2025 and now embedded across Novartis Ireland, the initiative was designed in response to clear feedback from employees about the challenges of returning to work after maternity leave - including confidence loss, disconnection from the business, and uncertainty for managers supporting returners.

On 14th February 2026, Novartis celebrated the eighth anniversary of the Novartis Commitment to Patients and Caregivers – a milestone that reflects our promise to place patients at the center of every decision we make. 

This Commitment was co-created with the patient community in 2018 to further ensure we partner with patients and caregivers to embed their lived experiences throughout the development of medicines. From early research, through to trials and post-launch, patient partner organisations have helped us make decisions that are informed by, and relevant to patients and caregivers.

Our Commitment is continuous, and we are always working to strengthen our patient partnerships, and while much remains to be done, we wanted to invite you to read about the meaningful progress made in 2025 summarized in our factsheet below. This details the progress made in four key areas, defined and achieved together with patient organizations, known as the pillars of Commitment: Respecting and understanding the patient community, conducting responsible clinical trials, expanding access to our medicines, and recognizing the importance of transparency and reporting.

Our partnership with patient organisation is instrumental in reimaging medicines together as it allows us to immerse robust patient experience data within our work to design better trials, accelerate development and access, and ensure innovations address real-world needs. 

Thank you for to all the patient organisation in Ireland for your invaluable collaboration and support 

We remain fully committed to listening and learning from you as we continue to evolve together, and we look forward to our continued partnership.

Early diagnosis can make the difference. That’s the message which was at the heart of our support for the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) Innovate For Life 2025 campaign, which this year focuses on early diagnosis and prevention.  As part of this advocacy campaign, we were ’re shining a spotlight on newborn screening – and two family stories in particular – to highlight the importance of adding Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in newborn screening, (ie the heel prick test).

We were very pleased that the Minister for Health has announced that, from 13 April 2026, testing for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) has now commenced through the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (heel prick test).