New Novartis analysis shows wet AMD patients achieved sustained fluid control faster with Beovu® versus aflibercept

  • A post-hoc analysis of the HAWK and HARRIER trials presented at ASRS showed >=50% of patients achieved sustained retinal dryness by weeks 8 and 4 with Beovu and by weeks 12 and 8 with aflibercept, respectively1
     
  • The analysis also showed >=75% of patients reached sustained dryness by weeks 32 and 20 with Beovu and by weeks 56 and 52 with aflibercept in HAWK and HARRIER, respectively1
     
  • Retinal fluid is a key sign of wet AMD disease activity and drying the retina is a core aim of treatment2 …
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Novartis Adakveo® receives positive CHMP opinion for the prevention of recurrent vaso-occlusive crises in patients with sickle cell disease

  • If approved, Adakveo would be the first targeted sickle cell disease therapy available for use in Europe

  • CHMP opinion supported by data showing Adakveo significantly reduced the rate of vaso-occlusive crises, with patients on Adakveo spending fewer days in hospital

  • Vaso-occlusive crises are sudden, unpredictable, and associated with an increased risk of organ damage and mortality1

Basel, July 24, 2020 — Novartis announced today that the Committee for Medicinal …

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Expanding CAR-T manufacturing in Europe to serve more patients

As we continue to expand our manufacturing capacity for transformative CAR-T cell therapy (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently approved two European sites for commercial manufacturing. The sites located in Les Ulis, France, and Stein, Switzerland, will now support the supply of CAR-T cell therapy for patients in both commercial and clinical settings. This adds to the commercial capacity that already exists in our global network.

Commitment to patients

At Novartis, we are committed to serving advanced blood cancer patients …

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Breaking a vicious cycle of inflammation

In response to dry soil, a sensor in a garden triggers a sprinkler to deliver a shower of rain. Disaster strikes, though, if the sensor gets stuck in the “on” position. The shower turns into a stalled storm that floods the garden.

A similar problem can occur in the body. Immune cells contain danger sensors. They respond to danger with a sprinkling of signals that trigger healing inflammation. But if the danger sensor gets stuck on, the result is chronic inflammation that can cause more damage than good.

Novartis researchers aim to break this pattern by silencing part of the …

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Novartis announces Phase III study of Jakavi® in chronic graft-versus-host disease met primary and key secondary endpoints

  • Jakavi® demonstrated superior overall response rate in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) compared to best available therapy, building on previous positive findings in acute GvHD1
     
  • Study also met key secondary endpoints, significantly improving failure-free survival and patient-reported symptoms1
     
  • GvHD is a serious and common complication of stem cell transplants with no widely approved treatment options for patients who do not respond to steroids2,3 …
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Helping clinical trial patients during a lockdown

Streets were empty in Wuhan, China. Transportation was suspended, travel restricted and social contacts reduced to a minimum. Hospitals postponed surgeries and limited routine care. While the world’s attention was focused on those infected with COVID-19 in the city earlier this year, other patients struggled to get the treatment they needed.

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Novartis delivered strong H1 performance. FY 2020 guidance confirmed at higher end for core operating income and lower end for sales.

  • Due to COVID-19 first half results are more representative of underlying performance than Q2, sales growth of 6%  (cc1, +3% USD) and core¹ operating income growth of 19% (cc, +14% USD):
    • Innovative Medicines grew sales 7% (cc, +5% USD) and core operating income 16% (cc, +11% USD)
    • Sandoz grew sales 1% (cc, -2% USD) and core operating income 26% (cc, +19% USD)
  • Net sales in Q2 from continuing operations2 declined 1% (cc, -4% USD) largely reversing forward purchasing from Q1:
    • Key …
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Novartis launches first-of-its-kind not-for-profit portfolio of medicines for symptomatic treatment of COVID-19

  • Portfolio of 15 generic and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines from Sandoz division addresses urgent unmet needs of low- and lower-middle-income countries to treat patients with COVID-19 symptoms
  • Portfolio will be sold at zero-profit to governments in up to 791 eligible countries during the pandemic and until a vaccine or curative treatment is available
     
  • Early access to treatment for managing  COVID-19 symptoms is critical to preventing healthcare system overload

Basel, July 16, 2020 — …

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Novartis Phase III IRIDIUM data in Lancet Respiratory Medicine show benefit of Enerzair® Breezhaler® (QVM149), the first-in-class inhaled LABA/LAMA/ICS combination in uncontrolled asthma

  • Once-daily Enerzair® Breezhaler® (QVM149; IND/GLY/MF) was superior to once-daily IND/MF (QMF149) in improving the lung function of patients whose asthma is uncontrolled with LABA/ICS standard-of-care treatment1
     
  • In secondary analyses, improvements in lung function were observed with high- and medium-dose IND/GLY/MF compared to high-dose Sal/Flu1
     
  • In other secondary analyses, clinically meaningful reductions in moderate-to-severe (36%) and severe (42%) asthma exacerbation rates were observed with high- …
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