Novartis
told investors today that it is entering a particularly fruitful period of
product development, with 10 new molecular entities (NMEs) due to be submitted
for approval in 2015 and 2016.
The hike in R&D output for the company's pharmaceuticals division comes after a transitional year for the company which saw it divest animal health and vaccines operations and set up a joint venture for over-the-counter drugs, allowing it to focus on its prescription medicine and eyecare businesses.
The hike in R&D output for the company's pharmaceuticals division comes after a transitional year for the company which saw it divest animal health and vaccines operations and set up a joint venture for over-the-counter drugs, allowing it to focus on its prescription medicine and eyecare businesses.
The new crop
of filings - which includes potential blockbusters for cancer and heart failure
- is coming through while Novartis is still enjoying buoyant growth for
recently launched products, including oral multiple sclerosis therapy Gilenya
(fingolimod), Jakavi (ruxolitinib) for myelofibrosis and its stable of
therapies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).