NOVARTIS AG

Overview

Novartis AG is a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Basel. It researches, develops, manufactures and sells innovative medicines, with a focus on cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, immunology, neuroscience and oncology. Its stated purpose is to “reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives.” [1]+2

Formed in 1996 through the merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz, Novartis became a business focused on innovative medicines following the spin-off of its Sandoz generics and biosimilars business in 2023. It reported approximately $54.5 billion in net sales for 2025, employed about 77,000 people and sold products in 118 countries.[4]+2 [1]+5

Products & services

Novartis’ medicines span cardiovascular disease, immunology, oncology, neuroscience and rare diseases. Entresto (sacubitril/valsartan) is an oral treatment for heart failure that combines angiotensin-receptor blockade with neprilysin inhibition; Cosentyx (secukinumab) is an injectable IL-17A inhibitor used for psoriasis and inflammatory joint and skin conditions. Kisqali (ribociclib), an oral CDK4/6 inhibitor, treats HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, while Kesimpta (ofatumumab) is a self-administered anti-CD20 antibody for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. These four products accounted for approximately 14.2%, 12.2%, 8.8% and 8.1%, respectively, of 2025 net sales from continuing operations, calculated from reported product sales.[7]+4 [7]+15

Geographic presence

Novartis is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and has operations across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Australasia. In 2025, the United States accounted for $23.3 billion, or 43%, of net sales; Europe accounted for $16.7 billion (31%); Asia, Africa and Australasia for $10.8 billion (20%); and Canada and Latin America for $3.7 billion (6%). Among individually disclosed countries outside the US, China generated $4.2 billion in sales, Germany $3.9 billion and Switzerland $1.4 billion. Sales by country are attributed to the customer’s location.[19]

At the end of 2025, Novartis had 75,267 full-time-equivalent employees: 34,073 in Europe, 24,705 in Asia, Africa and Australasia, 12,556 in the US, and 3,933 in Canada and Latin America. Its Basel–St. Johann site houses global and international headquarters functions. Other major facilities include research sites in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and manufacturing or research sites in Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, France, Italy and the US.[19] [20]+4

Business segments

Novartis reports one global operating segment, Innovative Medicines, rather than separate segments for its therapeutic areas. Its four core therapeutic areas are cardiovascular, renal and metabolic; immunology; neuroscience; and oncology. It also reports sales from established brands as a separate category within the business, not as another operating segment. Sandoz, formerly its generics and biosimilars business, was spun off and is no longer part of continuing operations.[24]+3

In 2025, oncology accounted for approximately 30.9% of net sales from continuing operations ($16.83 billion), established brands 22.8% ($12.46 billion), immunology 18.9% ($10.29 billion), cardiovascular, renal and metabolic 16.4% ($8.96 billion), and neuroscience 11.0% ($5.99 billion). These are sales categories within the single operating segment, not independently reported segments.[19] [24]+4

Company history

Novartis was formed in 1996 through the merger of Swiss pharmaceutical companies Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz. Its predecessors date back to the 18th and 19th centuries: Geigy originated as a Basel trading business in 1758, a predecessor of Ciba began producing synthetic dyes in 1859, and Sandoz was founded in 1886. Ciba and Geigy had merged in 1970.[28][29]

In 2000, Novartis combined its agribusiness with Zeneca’s agrochemicals to form Syngenta. The 2001 approval of Gleevec (imatinib) for chronic myeloid leukemia marked a major milestone in its cancer-drug development. Novartis completed its acquisition of eye-care company Alcon in 2011; a 2015 transaction with GlaxoSmithKline brought in oncology products while transferring Novartis’s non-influenza vaccines business to GSK.[30]+3

Vas Narasimhan succeeded Joseph Jimenez as chief executive in 2018. Novartis subsequently separated Alcon in 2019 and spun off its Sandoz generics and biosimilars business in 2023, completing a shift toward innovative medicines.[34]+2 [28]+8

Sources

• NOVARTIS AG — Full financial report (2024 Y)
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• NOVARTIS — Full financial report (2025 Y)
  16 citations

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• NOVARTIS AG — Full financial report (2025 Y)
  3 citations

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• www.novartis.com[19]
• www.sec.gov[27]
• www.novartis.com[28]
• live.novartis.com[29]
• www.syngenta.com[30]
• www.novartis.com[31]
• www.sec.gov[32]
• www.novartis.com[33]
• www.novartis.com[34]
• www.novartis.com[35]