July 02, 2008
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation to Appeal Judgment in Alabama Pricing Case
- Jury verdict in Montgomery County Circuit Court awards $33 million in compensatory damages
- Jury decides in favor of Novartis and rejects claims for punitive damages
- NPC maintains it reported true and accurate prices and will file appeal
June 24, 2008
Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases and Global Alliance for TB Drug Development announce five-year collaboration targeted to accelerate TB treatment R&D
- The NITD and the TB Alliance's collaboration aims to move projects quickly from the research phase through the translational stage and into development
- Both partners will leverage their broad networks of expertise and resources to rapidly bring effective, simpler treatments to patients
June 17, 2008
Rasilez®[*] ASPIRE HIGHER clinical program expands to 35,000 patients in 14 trials, the largest cardio-renal outcomes program ever
- Novartis to study organ protection potential of Rasilez beyond documented ability to provide powerful blood pressure reductions that last beyond 24 hours[1],[2]
- Three megatrials explore Rasilez benefits in difficult-to-treat patients with life-threatening co-morbidities - heart failure, cardiovascular events in elderly and diabetic kidney disease
- Data presented at "Hypertension 2008" congress highlight impressive efficacy of Rasilez in managing high blood pressure in elderly, the fastest growing patient demographic segment with climbing healthcare costs[3],[4],[5]
June 13, 2008
Higher initial dose of Glivec achieved better early responses than standard dose for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia
- Efficacy and safety profile in large randomized Phase III study consistent with landmark IRIS trial, which established Glivec as standard of care
- Study did not meet primary endpoint at 1 year, yet shows faster time to molecular responses with 800 vs. 400 mg dose
- Findings reinforce that monitoring blood levels of Glivec may help optimize treatment benefit for individual patients
- Novartis committed to improving first-line treatment through additional study follow-up and completing enrollment to Tasigna vs. Glivec trial
June 12, 2008
Novartis recommends rejection of ''mini-tender'' offer by TRC Capital for American Depositary Shares
- Conditional offer made by TRC Capital Corporation for up to two million Novartis American Depositary Shares
- Novartis recommends against shareholders tendering their shares in response to TRC Capital's unsolicited mini-tender offer
June 10, 2008
Novartis successfully issues two Swiss franc benchmark bonds totaling CHF 1.5 billion
- First bond offering ever by Novartis in Swiss francs sees very strong demand and ranks as the largest-ever corporate offering in the Swiss franc market
- Two benchmark bonds offered - a domestic seven-year bond and a four-year bond in the international market segment
June 05, 2008
Leading blood pressure medication Diovan® with diuretic reduces key sign of artery ageing which is linked to risk of heart attack and stroke
- First study to show Diovan/HCT improves artery elasticity in patients with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease[1]
- Diovan/HCT demonstrated superior benefits on artery elasticity, a strong predictor of increased risk of stroke and heart attack[2], compared to amlodipine
- Diovan/HCT lowered albumin excretion rate, a key marker of kidney disease, by 35% compared to a rise of 24% with amlodipine[1]
- Diovan is the world's number one branded high blood pressure medicine[3]
June 05, 2008
FDA broadens US indication for once-yearly Reclast® as only osteoporosis treatment approved for prevention of fractures after a hip fracture
- Revised label includes data showing 35% reduction in new clinical fractures in patients treated with Reclast following recent hip fracture[1]
- Few patients currently receive osteoporosis treatment following hip fracture despite high risk of morbidity and mortality[2]
- Safety and efficacy profile of Reclast, already approved for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis[1], reinforced in revised label
June 04, 2008
New data show potential of Rasilez®* to protect kidneys from damage independent of its proven ability to lower blood pressure
- AVOID study shows potential kidney protection benefits of Rasilez in type 2 diabetic patients with kidney disease and high blood pressure[1]
- Rasilez reduced albuminuria, a key indicator of kidney disease, by an additional 20% when added to maximum dose of angiotensin-receptor blocker losartan[1],[2]
- First clinical trial to present data on potential kidney-protective benefits of Rasilez, independent of its proven blood pressure reductions[3]
- Damage to kidneys caused by diabetes is leading cause of end-stage renal disease in developed countries[1]
June 04, 2008
Novartis gains rights to promising hospital antibiotic in clinical development through full acquisition of Protez Pharmaceuticals
- Acquisition of Protez Pharmaceuticals provides rights to PZ-601 and further strengthens specialty medicines development portfolio in hospital infections
- PZ-601 a novel broad-spectrum antibiotic in Phase II development against potentially fatal drug-resistant infections - including MRSA and ESBL strains
- Antibiotic resistance an important public health problem, estimated to account for more than 100,000 deaths annually in the US and Europe together
- Novartis to fully acquire privately-held Protez for initial payment of USD 100 million, potential for up to USD 300 million of additional payments contingent upon success of PZ-601
