Novartis ranks first place in 2026 Access to Medicine Index

• Novartis retains first place ranking among 20 sector peers for efforts to improve access to medicines
  
  
• First company to achieve No. 1 rank across all Technical Areas since Index began in 2008, achieving R&D score almost twice the sector average
  
  
• Recognizes progress to expand care for cancer and heart disease, Coartem® Baby, and next-gen antimalarial KLU156 (ganaplacide/lumefantrine)
  

Basel, November 10, 2026 – Novartis today announced the company has ranked first place in the 2026 Access to Medicine Index. Published every two years, the Index is an independent assessment of how major research-based pharmaceutical companies are improving access to medicines.

“Being ranked first in the Access to Medicine Index for the second consecutive time is an honor, and a recognition of our continued efforts to expand access to healthcare together with our partners,” said Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis. “We remain committed to transforming scientific progress into meaningful impact for more patients around the world.”

The ranking retains Novartis’ leading position in the Index since 2024, with the company scoring an overall 3.86 out of five in 2026. Novartis also ranked first across all individual Technical Areas assessed, the only company to do so since the Index was first published in 2008, including a score for R&D almost twice the sector average.

The Index is published by the Access to Medicine Foundation, an independent non-profit organization, which assesses 20 of the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to improve access to medicines, vaccines and diagnostics across 84 diseases across 113 low- and middle-income countries.¹

Companies were assessed on three Technical Areas in 2026: Governance of Access, which scores how companies embed accountability for access; Research & Development, which evaluates R&D activity and access planning for diseases affecting low- and middle-income countries; and Product Delivery, which tracks how companies reach patients and address barriers to access.

In 2025, Novartis reached 304 million patients worldwide. Of these, 30 million were reached through access approaches, including 7.3 million through the company’s dedicated Sub-Saharan Africa Business Unit.²˒³ Since the last Index in 2024, Novartis has:

• Expanded community health programs to tackle the growing burden of chronic conditions like cancer and heart disease: Inclusive Health Accelerators, bringing screening and care closer to underserved communities in the U.S.; Community Health Initiatives in low- and middle-income countries, expanding diagnosis and treatment beyond traditional healthcare channels in hard-to-reach areas; and CARDIO4Cities, using data and partnerships to improve cardiovascular health in cities
• Launched Coartem® Baby (artemether-lumefantrine), the first malaria treatment designed for newborns and young infants, with approval granted in 16 countries to date
• Completed submission of KLU156 (ganaplacide/lumefantrine), the first next-generation antimalarial, to Swissmedic and the U.S. FDA and received priority review
• Introduced more Emerging Market Brands, innovative medicine brands specifically designed to speed up access and address affordability challenges in low- and middle-income countries
• Renewed a landmark agreement with the World Health Organization to provide leprosy treatments at no cost
• Expanded a partnership with the Max Foundation to improve access to care for cancer and other chronic diseases, across 6 treatments in 71 low- and middle-income countries
• Advance the development of new treatments for malaria and neglected tropical diseases, such as dengue, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, backed by more than USD 500 million investment in R&D for global health since 2021⁴
  

Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as “potential,” “can,” “will,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “look forward,” or similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding: potential new products; potential new indications for existing products; potential product launches or potential future revenues from any such products; results of ongoing clinical trials; or potential future, pending or announced transactions; potential future sales or earnings; strategy, plans, expectations or intentions, including discussions regarding our continued investment into new R&D capabilities and manufacturing; or our capital structure. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of management regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties concerning: global healthcare cost containment, including ongoing government, payer and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; the success of our key products, commercial priorities and strategy; research and development of new products, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection, including the ultimate extent of the impact on Novartis of the loss of patent protection and exclusivity on key products; our ability to realize the strategic benefits, operational efficiencies or opportunities expected from our external business opportunities; the development or adoption of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, and new business models; potential significant breaches of information security or disruptions of our information technology systems; actual or potential legal proceedings, including regulatory actions or delays or government regulation related to the products and pipeline products described in this press release; safety, quality, data integrity, or manufacturing issues; major macroeconomic and geo- and socio-political developments, including the impact of any potential tariffs on our products or the impact of war in certain parts of the world; future global exchange rates; future demand for our products; and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG’s most recently filed Form 20-F and in subsequent reports filed with, or furnished to, the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis 
Novartis is an innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach more than 300 million people worldwide.

Reimagine medicine with us: Visit us at www.novartis.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.

References
1. Access to Medicines Foundation (2025). Methodology for the 2026 Access to Medicine Index [Accessed November 2026]
2. Novartis (2026). ESG Data Summary 2025 (Updated September 2026). [Accessed November 2026]
3. Access to Medicines Foundation (2026). 2026 Access to Medicine Index.
4. Novartis (2026). Update on Public Commitments 2025. [Accessed November 2026]

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