Who we are
Novartis reimagines medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. Our medicines, which reached 766 million patients around the world in 2021, address most major disease areas, from cancer to heart disease to rare genetic disorders.
Our purpose
Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. We use innovative science and technology to address some of society’s most challenging healthcare issues. We discover and develop breakthrough treatments and find new ways to deliver them to as many people as possible.
Our company
We have two global operating divisions: Innovative Medicines, which specializes in patent-protected medicines, and Sandoz, which sells generics and biosimilars. These divisions are supported by our research and development teams, our manufacturing operations, our business services and technology organization, and our corporate functions.
Innovative Medicines
The Innovative Medicines Division has two business units:
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Novartis Pharmaceuticals focuses on patented treatments in multiple disease areas to enhance health outcomes for patients and offer solutions to healthcare providers.
Novartis Oncology
Novartis Oncology focuses on patented treatments for a variety of cancers and rare diseases.
Sandoz
The Sandoz Division offers patients and healthcare professionals high-quality, affordable generics and biosimilars.
Novartis technical operations (NTO)
is responsible for making our innovative medicines, devices and Sandoz products, and delivering them to our customers across the world.
Customer & Technology Solutions (CTS)
consolidates digital and other support services across our organization, helping drive efficiency, simplification, standardization and quality.
Corporate functions
support the enterprise in specific areas of expertise, including finance, human resources, legal, communications, global health, and ethics, risk and compliance.
Research and development (R&D)
The Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) is the innovation engine of Novartis. NIBR focuses on discovering new drugs that can change the practice of medicine.
The Global Drug Development (GDD) organization oversees the development of new medicines discovered by our researchers and partners.
Our global footprint
Novartis headquarters are located in Basel, Switzerland. We have more than 380 sites – including research and development locations, offices and production facilities – around the world.
Major Novartis facilities
(by area of site and/or number of employees)
Barleben (Germany)
Production of a range of generics finished dosage forms
Huningue (France)
Production of drug substances for clinical and commercial supply
Holzkirchen (Germany)
Sandoz Division production of transdermal delivery systems, biosimilars development, and certain international and global service functions
Basel (Switzerland)
Global headquarters of Novartis
Stein (Switzerland)
Production of a range of medicines, including cell and gene therapies; production of active pharmaceutical ingredients
Kundl and Schaftenau (Austria)
Production of biotechnological products, drug products and finished products, anti-infectives, active drug substances and nucleic acids; product development
Menges (Slovenia)
Production of drug substances and drug intermediates
East Hanover, NJ (USA)
Innovative Medicines Division US headquarters; research and development
Cambridge, MA (USA)
Research and development
Shanghai (China)
Research and development
Hyderabad (India)
The largest of our five global service centers supporting all Novartis business units
How our business works
Research & development
Finding and developing new treatments for patients is at the core of our business. More than three-quarters of our sales come from innovative patent medicines. Our pipeline of investigational treatments, which spans around 50 diseases, has the potential to transform the standard of care for millions of patients worldwide.
Procurement & manufacturing
We have 53 manufacturing sites worldwide. These sites produce our patent medicines, devices, generics and biosimilars, as well as some raw materials we need for manufacture. Across our sites, we maintain high quality standards to ensure patient health and safety, and we require our suppliers to do the same.
Marketing & distribution
We aim to deliver our treatments to as many people as possible. We work with customers and payers, such as hospitals, physicians, insurance groups and governments, to understand their needs and improve outcomes for patients. We use a range of access approaches to ensure our medicines reach underserved patient populations.
Our medicines
Our medicines address most major disease areas and are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. Our manufacturing facilities supplied 71 billion treatments in 2021.
We develop and produce innovative medicines to address patient needs in disease areas where our experience and knowledge have the potential to produce transformative treatments.
- Oncology
- Cardiovascular, renal and metabolism
- Respiratory and allergy
- Immunology, hepatology and dermatology
- Neuroscience
- Infectious diseases
- Ophthalmology
We also offer about 1 000 generic and biosimilar medicines covering a broad range of therapeutic areas. They can bring substantial savings to patients and healthcare systems, and help improve access to healthcare.
- Pills
- Injections
- Inhalers
Novartis top 10 innovative medicines
Brand / 2021 net sales (USD, millions)
Our people
The greatest strength of Novartis is our people, whose diversity, energy and creativity are crucial to our success. Around the world, we employ 108 514 people (104 323 full-time equivalent positions), with around one-fifth of our employees working in research and development.
1 Formerly named Novartis Business Services
2 Refers to full-time equivalent positions. Total headcount is 108 514.
Our culture and values
Our Values and Behaviors underpin our culture and enable us to deliver on our purpose. We encourage all Novartis employees to be inspired, curious and unbossed while acting with integrity.
Inspired
Engage our people
Strive for patients
Live our purpose
Curious
Learn
Be open
Be self-aware
Unbossed
Create clarity
Serve others
Own your actions
Integrity
Be honest
Have courage
Do what is right