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• Novartis halts research on MRSA drug after poor tests

  - 2008-08-29

  GENEVA AFP — Novartis said Friday it was halting research into its Aurograb treatment designed to combat bacterial infections such as the deadly MRSA bug after disappointing clinical tests. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant said in a statement that it had decided to halt the programme "after Phase II results...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, infection, Novartis AG, SECURITY

• British experts green light Novartis' sight-saving drug

  - 2008-08-27

  GENEVA AFP — Novartis said Wednesday its Lucentis eye treatment has been recommended by Britain's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence NICE as a cost-effective therapy to stave off blindness. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant said in a statement that NICE had recommended Lucentis as "a cost-effective therapy for...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, Novartis AG, patient, therapy

• Novartis buys Protez for rights to new antibiotic

  - 2008-06-04

  BASLE, Switzerland AFP — Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis announced on Wednesday it had bought Protez Pharmaceuticals for 100 million dollars (64.8 million euros), thus acquiring the rights to a new antibiotic. The initial 100-million-dollar payment could be followed by up to another 300 million depending on the performance of...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, antibiotic, Novartis AG

• Novartis to cut malaria treatment price by 20 percent

  - 2008-04-23

  GENEVA AFP — Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis said Wednesday said it will cut the prices of its malaria treatment Coartem by 20 percent. The new price of 37 cents (0.23 euros) for children's doses will start from Friday which is World Malaria Day, said the company. Novartis provides...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Novartis AG

• Philippines orders Novartis to pull anti-arthritis drug

  - 2008-01-17

  MANILA AFP — Philippine health regulators on Friday ordered Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis to pull the painkiller Lumiracoxib from the market amid fears the drug could cause liver damage. The health department's Bureau of Food and Drugs ordered Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc. to "immediately initiate a product recall and...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Benefits, bureau, HARDWARE, HEALTHCARE, Novartis AG, SOFTWARE, Tablets

• Swiss drugmaker Novartis to cut 2,500 jobs

  - 2007-12-13

  BASEL AFP — Swiss drugmaker Novartis said Thursday it plans to cut 2,500 jobs in a restructuring programme aimed at generating yearly cost savings of 1.6 billion dollars (1.1 billion euros). Many of the cuts, which will take place in 2008 and 2009, will be achieved through normal fluctuation...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, job, Novartis AG

• Thailand may break more patents with cancer drugs

  - 2007-09-24

  BANGKOK AFP — Thailand may break more patents of Western drugmakers by adding copycat versions of four cancer medicines into the nation's generic drug programs, a health official said Monday. The National Health Security Office said it would propose the health ministry issue so-called compulsory licenses on the drugs,...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Benefits, Government, HEALTHCARE, Novartis AG, patent, patient, SOFTWARE, Thailand

• Australia recalls anti-inflammatory drug Prexige after two deaths

  - 2007-08-11

  SYDNEY AFP — Australia's drugs watchdog said Saturday it had ordered the recall of the anti-inflammatory medication Prexige after it was linked to two deaths. The Therapeutic Goods Administration TGA said Australia was the first country to withdraw the drug, which is in the same class of pharmaceuticals as...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Australia, Benefits, HEALTHCARE, Manufacturing, Merck & Co. Inc., Novartis AG, SOFTWARE

• UN health agency sees progress on battling leprosy

  - 2005-11-07

  GENEVA AFP — The World Health Organisation WHO said it was renewing a five-year deal with the Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis for the free supply of drugs to treat leprosy, amid signs that the disease is retreating. The WHO said in a statement that the donation until 2010 would...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, agency, MARKETING, Novartis AG

• Novartis eyes Altana's pharmaceuticals division

  - 2005-10-31

  FRANKFURT AFP — Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis is interested in buying the drug-making activities of German specialist Altana, the business daily Handelsblatt reported, quoting industry sources. Altana and Novartis had already held talks, but had not yet agreed on the value of the business, the sources said. Neither...

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