Novartis opens facility for innovative cell and gene therapies in Switzerland

In the presence of Federal Councillor Alain Berset and other distinguished guests, Novartis inaugurated a new manufacturing facility for cell and gene therapies at Stein, Switzerland on November 28th.

“Our site in Stein is vital for new launches of solid and liquid drugs,” said Steffen Lang, Global Head of Novartis Technical Operations and member of the Novartis Executive Committee. “The construction of the new manufacturing facility is another investment in the production of breakthrough cell-based therapies that can potentially change the lives of patients.”

In addition to …

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Novartis to acquire The Medicines Company for USD 9.7 bn, adding inclisiran, a potentially transformational investigational cholesterol-lowering therapy to address leading global cause of death

  • Over 50 million secondary prevention patients worldwide with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) on current standard of care do not achieve LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) goal and remain at increased risk of cardiovascular events1
     
  • First-in-class siRNA biological mechanism enables unique twice-yearly, subcutaneous dosing regimen and seamless integration into routine healthcare professional visits, potentially improving adherence and patient outcomes2,3,4
     
  • …
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Novartis launches Innovation Prize for Assistive Tech to encourage new technologies that address unmet needs of the multiple sclerosis community

  • The Novartis Innovation Prize: Assistive Tech for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) identifies and embraces technology that aims to improve mobility and daily life for people living with MS
  • Applications are open worldwide to the tech community, innovators, design experts, patient advocates – anyone with an idea to make everyday life better for those with MS or mobility-limiting disabilities  
  • The applications will be accepted until January 10, 2020 at 17:00 ET and the winners will be announced at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas on March 13, 2020
  • In order to …

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Novartis PARAGON-HF analyses suggest Entresto® benefit beyond HFrEF

  • Entresto (sacubitril/valsartan) demonstrated greatest benefit in HFpEF patients with ejection fractions adjacent to HFrEF, compared to valsartan1
     
  • Entresto, compared to valsartan, demonstrated reduced risk in total heart failure hospitalizations and cardiovascular death in women, compared to men2
     
  • Among patients who had been previously hospitalized, those who were screened during or within 30 days of hospitalization showed the greatest treatment effect with Entresto, compared to valsartan3 …
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New Novartis medicine Adakveo® (crizanlizumab) approved by FDA to reduce frequency of pain crises in individuals living with sickle cell disease

  • Sickle cell pain crises are unpredictable, severe events associated with life-threatening complications1
     
  • Adakveo reduced the annual rate of sickle cell pain crises by 45% compared to placebo (1.63 vs 2.98) and the annual rate of days hospitalized (4 vs 6.87) in a 52-week study2
     
  • Approximately 100,000 people in the United States, most of whom are of African descent, have sickle cell disease3
     
  • Approval comes approximately two months ahead of FDA’s priority review action …
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Novartis receives positive CHMP opinion for Mayzent® (siponimod) for the treatment of adult patients with active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS)

  • If approved, Mayzent® (siponimod) will be the first and only oral treatment specifically indicated for patients with active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) in Europe[1])
     
  • CHMP opinion is based on the Phase III EXPAND trial, the largest randomized clinical study in a broad SPMS patient population (EDSS score 3.0 to 6.5 at baseline), showing Mayzent significantly reduced the risk of disease progression, including physical disability and cognitive decline[2]
     
  • Up to 80% of patients with relapsing remitting …
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Visionary: Silke Mader has a vision for the care of premature infants and their parents

For some people, experiences of profound hardship can be the beginning of the end. Others do their best to cope and move on. A small percentage of people take their difficult experience and use it to change the world. Silke Mader, Chairwoman and co-founder of the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), is one such person.

Twenty-two years ago, Ms. Mader gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, at only 25 weeks. Her baby girl died but her son Lukas survived, and was admitted to the neonatology intensive care unit, where he had to stay for several months. One …

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Novartis announces new strategy to provide innovative medicines to more patients in sub-Saharan Africa

  • The strategy is aligned with the Novartis Access Principles, which aim to systematically integrate access strategies in how the company researches, develops and delivers medicines globally
     
  • A newly formed sub-Saharan Africa unit will deploy innovative approaches to increase patient reach across the full income pyramid
     
  • Novartis is building on its established activities in malaria, cancer, sickle cell and cardiovascular diseases as well as proven social business models on the continent
     
  • A quarter of …
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Sandoz presents real-world data showing effectiveness of Erelzi® (etanercept-szzs) in rheumatic disease treatment

  • Interim results from COMPACT, a multi-country, real-world study of Erelzi for approved rheumatic diseases presented at 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
  • US analysis of long-term financial impact when switching to biosimilar etanercept also presented, modeling significant cost savings for health systems
  • Sandoz is the pioneer and a global leader in biosimilars, with eight approved biosimilars worldwide and more than 10 in the pipeline

Holzkirchen, November 12, 2019 – Sandoz, a Novartis division and a global …

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New Novartis PREVENT data show Cosentyx® delivers early relief in axial spondyloarthritis

  • 42.2% of patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) treated with Cosentyx had improved ASAS40 scores through Week 16; improvements continued through Week 52[1]
     
  • PREVENT is the largest ever study of a biologic in patients with nr-axSpA and underscores Novartis leadership in rheumatology[1]
     
  • There are approximately 1.7 million patients with nr-axSpA in the EU and US[2]
     
  • PREVENT adds to 5-year evidence in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and is a step forward in providing patients with …
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