Novartis to shake-up pharmaceuticals operations

The Swiss healthcare group, Novartis, has announced a new structure for its pharmaceuticals operations, aimed at improving service to specific customer groups.

A communiqué from group headquarters in Basel said the new entities would be “Primary Care”, “Speciality Businesses” and “Mature Products”.

“Our aim is to align our pharmaceutical activities around franchises and strategic brands, while establishing a focused management structure,” said Daniel Vassella, chairman and chief executive officer of Novartis.

“These changes provide entrepreneurial space, speed and resources to our leaders, supporting their efforts to continuously bring innovative therapies to physicians and patients,” he added.

The Specialty Businesses will have three separate units:
· Oncology, to be based in the United States
· Transplantation
· Opthalmics

The communiqué said the Mature Products unit will have the key responsibility of improving the economic value of older products

Primary Care’s first priority is to further concentrate on powering the market introductions of new, potential blockbuster brands, as well as securing an innovative product pipeline.

Novartis is a leader in healthcare with core businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care and animal health. Sales totalled SFr32.5 billion in 1999.

swissinfo