- Novartis in Slovenia is among the recipients of the highest regional awards given by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for innovative achievements. They have received a gold award in the Central Slovenia region.
- The Gold Regional Award was given for their innovative approach to finding and removing critical protein impurities in biologics, which speeds up the drug development process and enables a more successful transition to the manufacturing phase, thus ensuring faster and wider access to medicines for patients.
- With innovation at the heart of its operations, Novartis is successfully developing and manufacturing breakthrough innovative medicines in Slovenia that address the world's greatest health challenges.
Ljubljana, June 20 2024 - Novartis in Slovenia is among the winners of the Central Slovenia Chamber of Commerce and Industry's award for the best innovation in the Central Slovenia region. The gold award recognizes an innovation that enables faster and wider access to biologic medicines for patients around the world.
The award-winning innovative technology makes a significant contribution to improving the safety and efficacy of biologics by finding critical protein impurities in biologics and targeting them for removal. Despite all the advances in technology, these still contain residual protein impurities from host cells that can degrade the drug or its excipients. The latter impairs their effectiveness and consequently prevents the medicines from reaching patients. Breakthrough innovation with new technology significantly shortens the development process and improves the success rate of the transition to the manufacturing phase of medicines, thus contributing significantly to faster access to medicines that improve the health and quality of life of patients.
"The development of this award-winning innovation started three years ago and is led by experts from Novartis Biologics Technical Development in Slovenia in collaboration with colleagues from Austria and Switzerland and researchers from local educational and research institutions. We believe that this breakthrough innovation will make a significant contribution to the availability of biologics for patients around the world and help alleviate some of the greatest health burdens in society," said Ernest Šprager, Research Expert at Novartis Biologics Development Mengeš.
The outstanding achievements of the employees in Slovenia reinforce Novartis' position in Slovenia as a global high-tech center for the production of breakthrough innovative medicines, which forms the foundation for further investment and growth of the company. The recognition confirms the efforts the company invests in the development of innovative therapeutic solutions and strengthens Novartis' position in Slovenia as an innovative company that improves and prolongs people's lives through the development of advanced technologies and the development and production of breakthrough therapies.