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The first round of Medicare drug price negotiations has come to an end – but we still don't know the final prices that the U.S. government and pharmaceutical companies have agreed on. They all maintain that Medicare drug price negotiations are a long-term threat to the pharmaceutical industry's drug innovation and profits, but the immediate dust has somewhat settled. That's based on executive commentary during the recent quarterly earnings calls of Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson , among other companies. Novartis CEO Vasant Narasimhan said on July 18 that the short-term impact from Medicare drug price negotiations "might be manageable on our first set of drugs." Executives at each of the drugmakers similarly emphasized their opposition to Medicare drug price negotiations on their respective earnings calls.

Persons: Joe Biden, Johnson, Joe Biden's, Christopher Boerner, Bristol Myers, Robert Michael, We've, Michael, Jennifer Taubert, Vasant Narasimhan, Narasimhan, Bristol Myers Squibb's Boerner, Boehringer Ingelheim, Annika Organizations: National Institutes of Health, Medicare, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson, Pfizer, J, Novartis, Merck, Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca Locations: Bethesda , Maryland, U.S, annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com

☆ Drugmaker Novartis climbs 4.4% after guidance rise on sales of blockbuster drugs
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Signage for Novartis AG at a building in the company's headquarters campus in Basel, Switzerland, on Monday, Jan. 8, 2023. Shares of Swiss drugmaker Novartis climbed as much as 4.8% in early deals on Tuesday, after the company raised its full-year guidance following better-than-expected first-quarter results. Novartis' net sales rose 11% in the first three months of the year, while core operating income increased 22% over the same period. Narasimhan said the company continued to advance its drug pipeline in the first quarter, including treatments for prostate cancer and leukemia. "The momentum in our business and pipeline gives us continued confidence in our mid- and long-term growth outlook," he said.

Persons: Vas Narasimhan, Narasimhan Organizations: Novartis AG, Swiss, Novartis Locations: company's, Basel, Switzerland, London

☆ Novartis lifts guidance after first-quarter results beat expectations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Signage is displayed on the exterior of the Novartis AG Institutes for BioMedical Research building in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016. Swiss drugmaker Novartis on Tuesday raised its full-year guidance after reporting better-than-expected first-quarter results. In a statement, it said 2024 net sales would likely grow by a high-single to low double-digit percentage with adjusted operating income expected to grow by a low double-digit to mid-teens percentage. It has previously predicted that adjusted operating income would increase by a "high single-digit" percentage with "mid single-digit" sales growth. Quarterly adjusted operating income gained 16% to $4.54 billion, beating an average analyst estimate of about $4.3 billion.

Persons: Bristol Myers, Giovanni Caforio, Joerg Reinhardt, Vas Narasimhan, Sandoz Organizations: Novartis, Institutes, Research, Bristol, Bristol Myers Squibb Locations: Cambridge , Massachusetts, U.S

☆ Top pharma CEO says preparedness for a new pandemic has not improved
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Vicky Mckeever | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Vas Narasimhan, chief executive officer of Novartis AG, listens during a panel session on the opening day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019. Vas Narasimhan, CEO of pharmaceutical firm Novartis, told CNBC Tuesday that he didn't believe there had been much improvement in preparedness for pandemics in the wake of the Covid crisis. "I'm sad to say, I don't think we've improved unfortunately," said Narasimhan, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He explained that there did not appear to be the continued level of investment as hoped for, during this "inter-pandemic" period. "Now that we're past the pandemic — and really because of the feats of our industry, companies coming up with incredible mRNA vaccines and diagnostic tools — we're back to almost no investment from governments," Narasimhan said.

Persons: Vas, Narasimhan Organizations: Novartis AG, Economic, Novartis, CNBC Locations: Davos, Switzerland

☆ Blackstone explores sale of Anthos Therapeutics -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( David Carnevali | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Signage is seen outside the Blackstone Group headquarters in New York City, U.S., January 18, 2023. Anthos, which does not generate any revenue because its products have not yet hit the market, could be worth several billion dollars in a potential sale, significantly more than the $250 million that Blackstone invested when it founded Anthos in 2019, the sources said. The company's anticoagulants have made significant progress in late-stage clinical trials, the sources added. Blackstone is working with investment bankers to explore a sale of Anthos, the sources said, cautioning that no deal is certain and requesting anonymity because the matter is confidential. Anthos has licensed from Novartis an antibody used in the development of its blood thinners and granted it a minority stake.

Persons: Blackstone, Anthos, Bayer, Eliquis, David Carnevali, Leslie Adler Organizations: Blackstone Group, REUTERS, Blackstone Inc, Anthos Therapeutics, Novartis AG, Novartis, Myers Squibb, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Cambridge , Massachusetts, Anthos, Bristol, German, New York

☆ Novartis lifts sales growth target to 5% per year through 2027
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of Swiss drugmaker Novartis is pictured at the company's French headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison near Paris, France, April 22, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Novartis AG FollowSandoz GmbH FollowFRANKFURT, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) has dialled up its sales growth target to 5% per year until 2027, citing demand for innovative drugs after it sold off its generic-drugs business. The medium-term target, which excludes any foreign exchange effects, is mainly driven by six drugs, led by Kisqali, it said in a presentation on Tuesday. The sales forecast, up from a previous revenue growth target of 4% through 2027, is also underpinned by demand for Pluvicto, a precision radiotherapy against prostate cancer, and self-administered multiple sclerosis (MS) shot Kesimpta. Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Miranda Murray and Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Charles Platiau, Kisqali, Vas, Kesimpta, drugmaker, Sandoz, Ludwig Burger, Miranda Murray, Miral Organizations: Swiss, Novartis, REUTERS, Companies Novartis, Sandoz, FRANKFURT, Thomson Locations: Rueil, Malmaison, Paris, France, Basel, Swiss

☆ Novartis confirms Sandoz spin-off for October 4, 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The company's logo is seen at the cell and gene therapy factory of Swiss drugmaker Novartis in Stein, Switzerland, November 28, 2019. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Novartis AG FollowZURICH, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) on Monday confirmed its plans for a 100% spin-off of the Sandoz business on Oct. 4 after shareholders gave their approval earlier this month. Novartis also said key regulatory approvals have been obtained, including the approval by SIX Exchange Regulation for the listing of the Sandoz shares on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The Sandoz shares will have the symbol SDZ, Novartis said. Reporting by John Revill, Editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Arnd, Sandoz, John Revill, Rachel More Organizations: Novartis, REUTERS, Companies Novartis, SIX, Sandoz, SIX Swiss Exchange, Thomson Locations: Swiss, Stein, Switzerland

☆ Novartis raises 2023 forecast, maps out Sandoz spin-off
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Novartis AG FollowSandoz GmbH FollowFRANKFURT, July 18 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) on Tuesday raised its full-year earnings forecast on strong drug sales and mapped out the planned spin-off and stock market debut of its generic medicines division Sandoz for early October. The Swiss drugmaker said in a statement it expected group core operating income to grow by a "low double-digit" percentage in 2023, up from high single-digit growth previously projected. Novartis shareholders will vote on the proposed Sandoz spin-off and complete separation at an extraordinary general meeting on Sept. 15. Gains were driven by better-than-expected sales of heart failure drug Entresto, up 37% in local currencies at $1.52 billion. Kesimpta, a new once-a-month injection against multiple sclerosis, also beat expectations with quarterly revenues more than doubling to $489 million.

Persons: Swiss drugmaker, Sandoz, Harry Kirsch ., Kirsch, Ludwig Burger, Rachel More, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Novartis, Sandoz, FRANKFURT, SIX Swiss Exchange, Swiss pharma, Thomson Locations: Swiss, United States, New Jersey

☆ Exclusive: MoonLake Immunotherapeutics explores sale-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( David Carnevali | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 14 (Reuters) - MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (MLTX.O), a developer of an antibody-derived treatment for inflammatory skin conditions, is exploring a sale, according to people familiar with the matter. Immunology-focused companies have been coveted acquisition targets, as highlighted by recent deals such as Merck & Co's (MRK.N) $10.8 billion acquisition of Prometheus BioSciences Inc and Eli Lilly's (LLY.N) $2.4 billion purchase of Dice Therapeutics (DICE.O). MoonLake is testing Sonelokimab for the treatment of other inflammatory conditions, including psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. If successful, MoonLake would encroach on a market dominated by bigger peers such as Novartis AG (NOVN.S) and AbbVie Inc (ABBV.N). In 2022, MoonLake went public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, which helped it raise more than $200 million in cash.

Persons: drugmakers, Eli Lilly's, MoonLake, hidradenitis suppurativa, hidradenitis, Merck KGaA, David Carnevali, Josie Kao Organizations: Nasdaq, Merck, Co's, Prometheus BioSciences, Dice Therapeutics, Novartis AG, AbbVie Inc, Citigroup, Thomson Locations: Zug, Switzerland, New York

REUTERS/Robert GalbraithCompanies Novartis AG FollowAmgen Inc Follow(Reuters) - Amgen Inc sued Novartis AG's Sandoz in New Jersey federal court Monday, accusing Sandoz's proposed versions of its multibillion-dollar bone-strengthening drugs Prolia and Xgeva of infringing several patents. Amgen asked the court to block Sandoz's biosimilars of the drugs until its patents expire. Thousand Oaks, California-based Amgen sold $3.6 billion worth of Prolia and $2 billion worth of Xgeva last year, according to a company report. The FDA accepted Sandoz's application for biosimilar versions of the Amgen biologic drugs — which are derived from living cells, unlike traditional small-molecule drugs — in February. Amgen said the proposed biosimilars infringe 21 patents covering Prolia and Xgeva.

☆ Shortage of Last-Ditch Drug for Advanced Prostate Cancer Worries Doctors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jennifer Calfas | Melanie Evans | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Novartis said it is prioritizing the Pluvicto supply for patients who have already started the regimen. A drug used to extend the lives of people with advanced prostate cancer is in short supply and will be for months, leaving some patients with no treatment option as the manufacturer works to ramp up production. The Food and Drug Administration said last week the availability of Pluvicto is limited as manufacturer Novartis AG struggles to meet demand. The drugmaker said the shortage stems from manufacturing and delivery issues.

☆ Novartis names Firmenich CEO as chairman designate of Sandoz
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Novartis AG FollowSandoz GmbH FollowZURICH, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) on Monday announced the appointment of Gilbert Ghostine as chairman-designate of Sandoz, the generics unit Novartis wants to spin off later this year. Ghostine has been CEO of Geneva-based Firmenich, the world's largest privately owned perfume and taste company, since 2014. He will become the chairman of the new board at Sandoz, which is to be formed after its spin-off from Novartis in the second half of 2023, subject to final Novartis Board of Directors and shareholder approvals. Reporting by John Revill Editing by Paul CarrelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Drug Prices Increase 5.6% as Government Ramps Up Pressure to Lower Costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jared S. Hopkins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Pharmaceutical companies raised list prices of 983 arthritis, cancer and other prescription drugs by an average of 5.6% at the start of this year—restrained increases as the industry faces a new federal law aimed at lowering medicine costs. Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG and Eli Lilly & Co. are among the companies that took the price increases through Jan. 31, according to 46brooklyn Research, a nonprofit drug-pricing analytics group. In recent days, Germany’s Merck KGaA raised the list prices of 11 products, including the multiple-sclerosis therapy Rebif.

☆ Drugmakers Raise Prices on Nearly 1,000 Medicines but Show Restraint
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jared S. Hopkins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ EMA seeks to issue guidance on liver damage from Novartis' gene therapy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 13 (Reuters) - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Friday it plans to issue advice for physicians using Novartis AG's (NOVN.S) Zolgensma, calling on them to monitor patients for any liver injury after treatment. The statement follows two deaths due to liver failure after treatment with the gene therapy against spinal muscular atrophy, reported by Novartis in August. Spinal muscular atrophy is a group of rare genetic disorders which affect the nerve cells and cause muscle wasting and weakness. The advice for healthcare professionals has yet to be approved by further expert panels at EMA, which typically takes a few weeks. In Europe, however, such letters had been the subject of discussions with EMA, but Novartis would soon be cleared to send them in EU member states, it added.

[1/2] GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) logo is seen in this illustration, August 10, 2022. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that federal law preempts the plaintiffs' state-law claims that GSK failed to warn doctors and pregnant women that animal studies found a link between birth defects and taking Zofran. Louis Bograd, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at Motley Rice, did not respond to a request for comment. Without any newly acquired information, GSK could not legally change the label without the FDA's blessing, Kayatta wrote. For the plaintiffs: Louis Bograd of Motley RiceFor GSK: Lisa Blatt of Williams & ConnollyRead more:Zofran birth defect cases should be revived, say hundreds of plaintiffsGSK defeats 425 lawsuits alleging Zofran causes birth defects(NOTE: This story has been updated with a comment from GSK.)

☆ Big Pharma drags European shares down; inflation data in focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Bansari Mayur Kamdar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The market was hoping the minutes could be a "blueprint to a pivot," said Danni Hewson, an analyst at AJ Bell. Healthcare stocks (.SXDP) dragged, with pharma giants like Novartis AG (NOVN.S) and Sanofi (SASY.PA) shedding more than 1% each. Investors await producer price data, due at 1000 GMT, for clues on the impact of the European Central Bank's aggressive tightening to tamp down inflation. Retail stocks were battered last year, posting their worst annual performance since 2008, as rising interest rates and high inflation put pressure on household budgets. Reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar in Bengaluru Editing by Vinay Dwivedi and Eileen SorengOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Novartis to pay $245 mln to end antitrust cases over Exforge drug generics
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Novartis AG (NOVN.S) said on Wednesday it will pay $245 million to end antitrust litigation accusing the Swiss drugmaker of trying to delay the launch in the United States of generic versions of its Exforge hypertension drug. The class-action litigation stemmed from a 2011 licensing agreement between Novartis and Endo International Plc's (ENDPQ.PK) Par Pharmaceutical unit. Novartis's annual U.S. sales of brand-name Exforge exceeded $400 million before generic versions were sold, court papers show. The case is In re Novartis and Par Antitrust Litigation, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ European shares slip as COVID surge in China weighs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The region-wide STOXX 600 (.STOXX) fell 0.4%. China-exposed luxury firms such as LVMH (LVMH.PA) and Richemont (CFR.S) weighed on the European index in early trading. Energy stocks (.SXEP) fell 0.6%, while miners (.SXPP) dipped 0.3%, tracking weakness in commodity prices. Consumer staples such as Nestle (NESN.S) and L'Oreal SA (OREP.PA) fell 1.2% and 0.5%, respectively. Reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.VOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Earlier, much smaller U.S. studies conducted in the mid-1980's had suggested roughly 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year. The estimated economic cost is $52 billion annually in the United States alone, according to a report of the study published in npj Parkinson's Disease. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research obtain increased funding for research and access to care. A separate study by Beck's team recently put the number of U.S. patients living with Parkinson's disease at nearly 1 million, whereas earlier estimates had been closer to 650,000, he said. "Because the U.S. population is aging, a lot of people are going to be entering the health system with Parkinson's disease," Beck said, "and there are only about 700 neurologists in the country who specialize in movement disorders."

☆ U.S.-Backed Researchers Use AI to Probe for Weaknesses in Drug Supply Chains
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Richard Vanderford | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has approved research that will use artificial intelligence to delve into drug supply chains and probe for weaknesses, including foreign influence. Any overreliance on foreign inputs in drug supply chains could leave the U.S. open to dire shortages in the event of conflict or natural catastrophe. PREVIEWThe DHS-backed dive into drug supply chains will examine to what extent the supply of drugs might be susceptible to disruption. The new DHS-backed study will try to map out supply chains several layers deep, and potentially uncover previously hidden issues, Mr. Tuchman said. Consultant Steven Lynn says the pandemic opened people’s eyes to issues inherent in far-flung pharmaceutical supply chains.

☆ Novartis weighs sale of ophthalmology, respiratory units - Bloomberg
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Hadeel Al Sayegh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 16 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG (NOVN.S) is considering to sell its ophthalmology and respiratory units, a Bloomberg report said on Wednesday citing people familiar with the matter. Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Novartis to cut its Irish workforce by up to 25%
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBLIN, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) said on Thursday that it would cut up to 400 jobs in Ireland, or about a quarter of its workforce there, as part of a previously announced restructuring programme that will cut 8,000 jobs globally. read moreThe changes could potentially impact around 400 staff at its global service centre in Dublin, Novartis said in a statement. It currently employs 1,500 people in Ireland, including 1,000 in the Dublin operation that it said will continue to play a critical role. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"Ireland is an important location for Novartis due to its unique eco-system of highly educated, skilled and adaptable workforce which is critical in the knowledge-intensive, high-science, pharma sector," Novartis AG said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Padraic Halpin; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ GSK Taps Burberry Executive As CFO
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Pharmaceutical firm GSK PLC hired the finance chief of British luxury fashion group Burberry Group PLC to lead its finances as it works to develop new medicines after the recent spinoff of its consumer-health business. Brentford, U.K.-based GSK, a maker of cancer and asthma medications, on Monday named Julie Brown as chief financial officer and executive director, effective next spring. Ms. Brown serves as chief operating and financial officer at Burberry, a role she has held since 2017. “Julie is a highly experienced CFO with a tremendous understanding of the biopharma sector,” Emma Walmsley, chief executive officer at GSK, said in a release. Burberry on Friday said a search is under way for the successor of Ms. Brown.

☆ Novartis to take U.S. drug patent case to Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign marks the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., June 16, 2021. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File PhotoZURICH, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Novartis AG (NOVN.S) plans to ask the U.S. Supreme court to uphold the validity of a patent it holds on the dosing regimen for multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya after suffering a setback in a federal appeals court ruling, the Swiss drugmaker said on Wednesday. The ruling meant HEC Pharma and other drugmakers would potentially be able to launch a generic version of 0.5mg Gilenya imminently, pending any other judicial actions, it said. "Should generics launch in the US, we expect FY 2022 sales to be negatively impacted by USD 0.3bn. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Michael Shields Editing by Paul CarrelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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