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December 2, 2011

Novartis wins in three major categories of prestigious Scrip Awards

  • Novartis won in three of the biggest categories during the 7th Annual Scrip Awards held on November 3, 2011 at Grosvenor House in London.
  • Novartis was chosen as “Pharma Company of the Year” for its acquisition of global eye care leader Alcon and its above-market growth in 2010 bolstered by new portfolio products and innovative new product launches.
  • The Novartis drug fingolimod, the first once-daily pill for multiple sclerosis (MS), won as “Best New Drug”.
  • Novartis CEO Joe Jimenez was named “Executive of the Year” for leading Novartis “in achieving dynamic growth each quarter, growing by 14% in 2010 and outpacing the industry average.”
  • Launched in 2005 by Informa Healthcare, one of the world's leading medical and scientific publishers, the annual Scrip Awards recognizes the highest achievements of pharmaceutical and biotech companies as well as their executives throughout the year.

Pharmaceutical industry experts have once again recognized the leadership and innovation of Novartis. The research-based Swiss healthcare company won in three of the biggest categories during the 7th Annual Scrip Awards held on November 3, 2011 at Grosvenor House in London.

Launched in 2005 by Informa Healthcare, one of the world's leading medical and scientific publishers, the annual Scrip Awards recognizes the highest achievements of pharmaceutical and biotech companies as well as their executives throughout the year. The Scrip Awards Night brings together hundreds of senior-level industry experts at one of the industry's most prestigious awards ceremonies.

‘Pharma Company of the Year’
Novartis was chosen as “Pharma Company of the Year” for its acquisition of global eye care leader Alcon and its above-market growth in 2010 bolstered by new portfolio products and innovative new product launches.

Novartis acquired Alcon in August 2010 because of the eye care company’s leading position in surgical, pharmaceutical, and vision care products, including contact lenses and care products. The Novartis investment in Alcon has begun to pay off. In its September 2011 update on long-term strategy, performance and vision for continued sustainable growth, Novartis announced that Alcon is on track to deliver against the strategic priorities set out in 2010.

Over the last 18 months, Alcon achieved:

  • Double-digit sales growth through growth of new products that are rejuvenating the portfolio and integration of Alcon
  • Double-digit core operating income growth increasing its operating leverage
  • Improved productivity and profitability resulting in margin improvement
  • Double-digit sales growth in emerging markets
  • Increasing leadership in innovation, resulting in 17 regulatory approvals in the US and Europe in the Pharmaceuticals Division
  • Return of over USD 15 billion to shareholders via dividends and share buyback

"Alcon is enhancing future prospects for Novartis—it brings to us a fast growing business in the eye care segment. This acquisition was about long-term growth and not just cost synergies," said Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis. "We believe that Alcon has significant growth potential by leveraging the Novartis expertise in research, market access, and reimbursement, among others."

The Scrip Awards international jury consisting of 16 industry experts said that “overall 2010 was a year of advance on all fronts” for Novartis.

‘Best New Drug’
The Novartis drug fingolimod, the first once-daily pill for multiple sclerosis (MS), won as “Best New Drug”. MS is a nervous system disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. In MS, the body’s own cells—lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell—attack and damage the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks messages between the brain and body, leading to the symptoms of MS that can include visual disturbances, muscle weakness, trouble with coordination and balance, sensations such as numbness, prickling, or "pins and needles", and thinking and memory problems1.

The exact cause of MS is unknown, although experts suspect it may be an autoimmune disease, which happens when the body attacks itself. MS affects women more than men, often beginning between the ages of 20 and 40. Usually, the disease is mild, but some people lose the ability to write, speak or walk. There is no cure for MS, but medicines may slow it down and help control symptoms1.

The Scrip Awards panel of judges described fingolimod’s innovative mode of action as “a truly remarkable new approach to the treatment of MS [and] an elegant approach to preventing demyelination in MS.” Fingolimod works by keeping more lymphocytes inside the lymph nodes so that fewer can be released to attack nerve fibers in the brain, spinal cord, and to the eyes. These lymphocytes in the lymph nodes and in the blood continue to function with fingolimod treatment. Fingolimod was first approved in Russia in August 2010 and first launched in the US in October 2010, making it the first disease-modifying oral therapy for relapsing forms of MS.

Novartis CEO Joe Jimenez: ‘Executive of the Year’
The Scrip Awards panel of judges named Novartis CEO Joe Jimenez  “Executive of the Year” for leading Novartis “in achieving dynamic growth each quarter, growing by 14% in 2010 and outpacing the industry average.”

Joseph “Joe” Jimenez was appointed CEO of Novartis Pharma AG in February 1, 2010. He is responsible for leading the company’s diversified healthcare portfolio of leading businesses in innovative pharmaceuticals, eye care, generics, consumer health, vaccines and diagnostics. 

Previously, Jimenez served as Division Head, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. He led the transformation of the pharmaceutical portfolio to balance both mass market and specialty products and significantly increased the percent of sales from newly launched products. Jimenez also worked to realign the division’s commercial approach to focus on the individual needs of customers and incorporated more technological tools to better connect with patients and customers. 

Jimenez joined Novartis in April 2007 as Division Head, Novartis Consumer Health. Before joining Novartis, he served as President and CEO of the North America business for the H.J. Heinz Company and as President and CEO of Heinz in Europe from 2002 to 2006. He was also an advisor for the private equity organization Blackstone Group in the United States. 

Jimenez graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1982 and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984.

About Novartis
Novartis provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, consumer health products, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools. Novartis is the only company with leading positions in these areas. In 2010, the Group’s continuing operations achieved net sales of USD 50.6 billion, while approximately USD 9.1 billion (USD 8.1 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges) was invested in R&D throughout the Group. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 121,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at
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References

  1. Medline Plus, US National Institutes of Health. Multiple Sclerosis. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/multiplesclerosis.html. Accessed 22 November 2011.