Bringing science and medicine together to help patients with cancer

One of the biggest game-changing advancements in cancer care came about 20 years ago when researchers learned that they could create medicines that selectively jam up cancer’s growth machinery without damaging the rest of the body. Today these medicines, called targeted therapies, are available for treating many forms of cancer.

Targeted therapies took center stage when Alice Shaw started her career as a physician-scientist caring for patients with lung cancer. Now, as Global Head of Translational Clinical Oncology at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Shaw aims …

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European Medicines Agency (EMA) approves safety label update for Novartis Beovu®

  • Novartis worked with the EMA to update the Beovu® (brolucizumab) label to guide physicians in their treatment of wet AMD  
     
  • The update includes the additional characterization of retinal vasculitis and/or retinal vascular occlusion, typically in the presence of intraocular inflammation1
     
  • Novartis has established a multidisciplinary panel of internal experts collaborating with external advisors to examine the root cause, potential risk factors and mitigation of these adverse events
     
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Novartis reports positive topline results from the first Phase III trial of Beovu® versus aflibercept in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME)

  • In Phase III KITE study, Beovu (brolucizumab) 6 mg achieved its primary endpoint of non-inferiority to aflibercept 2 mg in mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at year one (week 52)1
     
  • In a key secondary endpoint, more than half of Beovu patients were maintained on a three-month dosing interval through year one, following the loading phase1
     
  • Beovu showed superior improvement versus aflibercept in change of central subfield thickness, a secondary endpoint, over the period of week 40 through week 521 …
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Novartis data show early treatment with Mayzent® (siponimod) delays disability progression and show benefits in cognitive performance in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS)

  • Post hoc EXPAND analysis showed improvements in cognitive processing speed in patients with active and non-active SPMS treated with Mayzent1
     
  • Subgroup analyses of the EXPAND trial showed the value of early treatment initiation with Mayzent in patients with active SPMS as positive effects on disability, cognitive processing speed and relapse outcomes were sustained for up to five years2
     
  • Results from EXCHANGE interim analysis presented at ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS reinforced its safety and tolerability …
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Novartis presents data at ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS for Kesimpta® (ofatumumab) in newly diagnosed treatment-naïve adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis

  • New post hoc data from Phase III ASCLEPIOS trials showed newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve patients experienced reductions in annualized relapse rates, MRI lesion activity and reductions in time to disability worsening when treated with Kesimpta vs teriflunomide1
  • Additional safety data in over 1,800 patients who continued Kesimpta treatment or switched therapy from previous studies reinforce the favorable safety profile of Kesimpta in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS)2
     
  • Baseline serum …
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Not your grandparents’ nuclear medicine

In the late 1800s, at a time when people still traveled in horse-drawn carriages and lit homes with wax candles, scientists discovered nuclear power. They found curious elements, such as uranium and radium, which emit invisible rays of energy. They called this energy radiation. 

When they noticed that radiation had the power to burn skin, they applied it to treat cancer. The benefits were evident, but it would take scientists decades to understand how to wield the energy that emerges from the core of these special atoms safely.

Now, a new form of nuclear medicine is on the …

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New report shows how AI in health is critical for COVID-19 response and recovery

A major new report led by the Novartis Foundation and Microsoft shows how investment in data and AI is critical to drive the health system improvements needed to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the world’s other greatest healthcare challenges.

Reimagining Global Health through Artificial Intelligence: The Roadmap to AI Maturity was developed by the Broadband Commission Working Group on Digital and AI in Health, which the Novartis Foundation and Microsoft co-chair. Based on a landscape review of over 300 existing use cases of AI in health, the report shows how AI …

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Novartis data at ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS highlight the strength of leading multiple sclerosis (MS) portfolio with life-changing therapies for people across the MS spectrum

  • Novartis will present 48 abstracts from its leading MS portfolio, including new data on recently FDA-approved Kesimpta® (ofatumumab)—the first and only self-administered, targeted B-cell therapy for relapsing forms of MS (RMS)—Mayzent® (siponimod) and Gilenya® (fingolimod)
     
  • New pivotal data from ASCLEPIOS trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of Kesimpta in a subgroup of treatment-naïve RMS patients will be presented for the first time1
     
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Reimagining asthma care: how data and digital could bring asthma management goals within reach

Asthma affects 358 million people globally and, despite available therapies, many patients’ lives are still impacted by the disease.1,2 Uncontrolled asthma can cause a significant personal, health and financial burden to those living with it. Bertrand Bodson, the Chief Digital Officer of Novartis, has had asthma for over 10 years. He shares his experience of living with asthma, and how this drives his work at Novartis to reimagine medicine using the power of data and digital.

My journey with asthma

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Novartis post hoc analysis shows high-dose Enerzair® Breezhaler® reduces asthma exacerbations versus medium-dose, complementing key pivotal IRIDIUM study findings

  • High-dose, once-daily Enerzair® Breezhaler® [IND/GLY/MF] reduced asthma exacerbation rates by 21% (moderate or severe) and 31% (severe) versus medium-dose, over 52 weeks1
  • Once-daily Enerzair Breezhaler, which includes an optional digital companion (sensor and app), is the first LABA/LAMA/ICS* fixed-dose combination approved for patients whose asthma is uncontrolled with a LABA/ICS2
     
  • Post hoc analysis complements findings from pivotal Phase III IRIDIUM study recently published …
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