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Novartis AG · 6-K · For 6/30/02

Filed On 7/2/02 1:15pm ET · SEC File 1-15024 · Accession Number 947871-2-1296

  As Of               Filer                 Filing     As/For/On Docs:Pgs              Issuer               Agent

 7/02/02  Novartis AG                       6-K         6/30/02    2:122                                    Shearman & Sterl..LLP/FA

Report of a Foreign Private Issuer · Form 6-K
Filing Table of Contents

Document/Exhibit                   Description                      Pages   Size 

 1: 6-K         Report of Foreign Private Issuer                      41    159K 
 2: 6-K         Unofficial Form 6-K                                  PDF    190K

6-K · Report of Foreign Private Issuer

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 or 15d-16 OF
 THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 Report on Form 6-K for the month of June 2002

 Novartis AG
(Name of Registrant)

 Lichtstrasse 35
4056 Basel
 Switzerland
 -----------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 Form 20-F X Form 40-F _

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information     
contained in this form is also thereby furnishing the information to the        
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes      No  X  
   ---     ---

Enclosures:                                                                     

1.   Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension presented to two pioneers 
in hypertension research                                              

2.   Federal District Court Rules in Favor of Wesley Jessen, Grants Injunction  
in Patent Infringement Case Filed Against Bausch & Lomb               

3.   Lescol(R)shown to reduce risk of serious cardiac events following surgery  
to open constricted coronary arteries                                 

4.   Novartis Ophthalmics teams with Carter Center to fight painful, blinding   
diseases                                                              

5.   Novartis secures first marketing approval for breakthrough asthma drug as  
Australia approves Xolair(R)                                          

6.   Starlix(R)(nateglinide) significantly improves glycaemic control in        
metformin patients with type 2 diabetes                               

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7.   Data suggest that Prexige(TM)(lumiracoxib), a new COX-2 inhibitor, offers  
strong efficacy                                                       

8.   Novartis announces recipients of Diabetes Award                            

9.   Estalis(R)HRT patch demonstrates positive effects on sexual functioning in 
postmenopausal women in comparison with pills                         

10.  New data show Glivec(R)as first-line treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia
maintains quality of life                                             

11.  FDA grants marketing clearance for Ritalin(R)LA, a once-daily formulation  
of Ritalin(R)for ADHD that lasts through the entire school day        

12.  Novartis launches new educational ADHD web site                            

13.  Novartis introduces S.T.A.R.T. (Straight Talk About Responsible Treatment) 
Now program to educate about appropriate use of ADHD medications      

14.  Novartis awarded 2002 international Galien Prize for innovative cancer     
therapy, Glivec(R)                                                    

                                                        Page 2 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                                       Novartis International AG 
                                                   Novartis Communications
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland

                                               Tel +41 61 324 2200
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 3300
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension presented to two pioneers in   
hypertension research                                                           

Prestigious Award presented by the International Society of Hypertension        

Basel, 28 June 2002 - John Laragh, MD and Jeremiah Stamler, MD, both known      
worldwide for their significant contributions to the research and understanding 
of hypertension, and the leadership they have provided to many young scientists,
have received the Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension. Dr Laragh's 
role in understanding the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and its   
subsequent inhibition was a critical breakthrough and led to significant        
advances in the treatment of heart disease. Dr Stamler's landmark research into 
risk factors for coronary heart disease greatly influenced practice in terms of 
the prevention and control of cardiac disease. The award was supported by an    
educational grant from Novartis Pharma AG and presented by the International    
Society of Hypertension during the joint meeting of the International Society of
Hypertension and the European Society of Hypertension.                          

"As a world leader in cardiovascular research and therapies, Novartis is honored
to partner with the International Society of Hypertension in sponsoring the     
prestigious Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension," said Joerg       
Reinhardt, Global Head of Development for Novartis Pharma AG. "We applaud Drs   
Laragh and Stamler for their outstanding achievements and discoveries in        
hypertension and other cardiovascular disease. Together, they have fundamentally
changed our understanding of hypertension, which has led to improved survival   
and enhanced quality of life for millions who suffer from this disease."        

The Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension was established by the     
Executive Committee of the International Society of Hypertension to honor Dr    
Julius' critical contributions to hypertension education. The award is presented
to individuals who demonstrate distinction in the education of scientists and   
specialists in hypertension or in hypertension education of the medical         
profession at large. Stevo Julius, MD, is Professor of Medicine and Physiology  
at the University of Michigan.                                                  
"I am delighted and honored by this year's choice of Drs. Stamler and Laragh as 
recipients of the Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension," said Stevo 
Julius, MD. "Both Dr Stamler and Laragh are renowned figures in the field and   
have made early and seminal contributions to the understanding of hypertension. 
In addition, both have served as mentors to numerous scientists and remain      
deeply engaged in promoting public knowledge about hypertension."               

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Dr Laragh discovered the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone endocrine control system 
and showed that it was a major factor in regulating normal blood pressure with  
body sodium and potassium content. He proved that excess plasma                 
renin-angiotensin and aldosterone levels cause malignant hypertension and its   
fatal vascular damage to the eyes, brain, heart and kidneys. He then implicated 
milder excesses in plasma renin-angiotensin as the cause of most essential      
hypertension and also as the vascular-toxic agent causing heart attack, heart   
failure, or stroke in                                                           

them. Dr Laragh established three ways to block plasma renin system activity at 
three different sites: beta blockers, saralasin (the first angiotensin receptor 
blocker, or ARB), and teprotide (the first angiotensin converting enzyme        
inhibitor, or ACE inhibitor). Dr Laragh's research thus provided new            
understanding of the relationship between the renin system, high blood pressure 
and cardiovascular disorders -- and thereby also revolutionized treatments of   
these disorders.                                                                

Throughout his career, Dr Stamler has led several landmark studies in the       
causation and prevention of major cardiovascular diseases, and their key risk   
factors, including high blood pressure. Some of these are the Michael Reese     
estrogen trial, the Chicago Coronary Prevention Evaluation Program, the National
Diet-Heart Study, the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, the Hypertension 
Detection and Follow-Up Program trial, the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly 
trial, the Primary Prevention of Hypertension trial, and the DASH trials on the 
effects of dietary patterns and of salt on blood pressure. Dr Stamler           
spearheaded pivotal Chicago population studies, which have followed 4500 adult  
men and women for over 25 years and led to critical new understanding about the 
relationships among lifestyles, risk factors, and mortality from heart disease  
and stroke. Dr Stamler also developed the Chicago Coronary Prevention Evaluation
Program, the first multi-factor primary prevention trial of cardiovascular      
disease ever conducted, and the international cooperative INTERSALT and INTERMAP
studies of 15 000 adults elucidating the influences of multiple dietary factors 
on blood pressure.                                                              

"On behalf of the International Society for Hypertension and Novartis, I        
consider it an honor that Dr Laragh and Dr Stamler have accepted this year's    
award. I cannot think of two more worthy individuals. Both Drs Laragh and       
Stamler have made discoveries which have paved the way to advancements in       
prevention and treatment, leading to improved longevity of human life. They     
uphold the values and leadership for which this award was originally            
established," said Professor A. Mimran, President of International Society of   
Hypertension.                                                                   

Novartis, the maker of the antihypertensive Diovan(R) (valsartan), is committed 
to future developments in hypertension and cardiovascular conditions. To this   
end, Diovan is supported by the world's largest clinical trial programme for an 
ARB. The program includes the recently completed Val-HeFT trial (patients with  
heart failure) and three major ongoing multinational morbidity and mortality    
trials: VALUE (high risk hypertensive patients); VALIANT (post-myocardial       
infarction patients), and NAVIGATOR (patients with impaired glucose tolerance at
high risk for cardiovascular events).                                           

This release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the        
business of Novartis, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking     
terminology such as "world leader in cardiovascular research and treatment" and 
"committed to future developments in hypertension and cardiovascular            
conditions", "world's largest clinical trial programme for an ARB" or similar   
expressions. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks,   
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially  
different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or     
implied by such statements. There are no guarantees                             

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that the aforementioned data will result additional regulatory approvals for    
Diovan or in increased sales of Diovan. Any such commercialization can be       
affected by, amongst other things, uncertainties relating to product            
development, regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally,   
the ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual      
property protection and competition in general, as well as factors discussed in 
the Company's Form 20F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should
one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying   
assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those      
described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.               

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 71,000 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com.                                                

 # # #

Notes to Editors:                                                               

John Laragh, MD                                                                 
John Laragh, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cardiovascular Center
at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, founded the       
American Society of Hypertension in 1985. In founding the Society, he was joined
by 16 other world famous clinicians and scientists in an effort to evaluate the 
vast accumulation of data on hypertension and to provide an independent forum   
for those involved in high blood pressure research.                             

Dr Laragh also founded the first Hypertension Center and served as Chief of     
Nephrology and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Columbia-Presbyterian  
Medical Center before returning to New York Hospital-Cornell in 1975. From      
1986-1988, Dr Laragh also served as the president of the International Society  
of Hypertension.                                                                

Dr Laragh has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards, including   
the Stouffer Prize of the American Heart Association (1969), the JP Peters Award
of the American Society of Nephrology (1990), the Robert Tigerstedt Award from  
the American Society of Hypertension (1990), and the Distinguished Achievement  
Award from the Council for High Blood Pressure Research of the American Heart   
Association. Throughout the past 40 years, Dr. Laragh is among the most         
frequently cited scientists in cardiovascular disease. He has also published    
over 900 papers, including the two volume reference text, Hypertension:         
Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management.                                     

Dr Laragh earned his Medical Degree from Cornell University Medical College in  
1948. He is married to his long time collaborator, Dr Jean Sealey, the          
distinguished biochemist. They spend leisure time at their homes in Florida and 
Southampton, New York.                                                          

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Jeremiah Stamler, MD                                                            
Jeremiah Stamler, MD, is an Emeritus Professor and Lecturer in the Department of
Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in 
Chicago. Dr Stamler served as the first Chair of the Department of Preventive   
Medicine at Northwestern University School of Medicine (1972-1986), held the    
distinguished position of Dingman Professor of Cardiology at the Medical School 
(1973-1990) and served as the Chairman of the Department of Community Health and
Preventive Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (1973-1985).              

Dr Stamler has been honored with several prominent awards, including the        
Distinguished Service Award from the American College of Cardiology (1985), the 
American Heart Association's Gold Heart Award (1992), and the David E. Rogers   
Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges (2000). In addition, he 
has published over 1000 articles in such leading journals as Circulation and    
Hypertension.                                                                   

Dr Stamler earned his Medical Degree from State University of New York,         
Downstate Medical Center (Long Island College of Medicine) in 1943 and his      
undergraduate degree from Columbia University in 1940. He was married to the    
late Rose Stamler, internationally renowned researcher in cardiovascular        
epidemiology and prevention.                                                    

 # # #

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                                                              [CIBA VISION LOGO]

News Release                                                                    

                                                         CIBA Vision Corporation
                                                       11460 Johns Creek Parkway
                                                          Duluth, GA  30097-1556

FOR MORE INFORMATION:                                                           
Kristie Madara (678) 415-3367                                                   
Kristie.madara@cibavision.novartis.com                                          

Federal District Court Rules in Favor of Wesley Jessen, Grants Injunction in    
Patent Infringement Case Filed Against Bausch & Lomb                            

Action Enjoins Sale of PureVision(TM) Contact Lenses                            

ATLANTA, June 26, 2002 - CIBA Vision Corporation, the eye care unit of Novartis 
AG (NYSE: NVS), announced today that the United States District Court for the   
District of Delaware ruled in favor of the company's wholly-owned subsidiary,   
Wesley Jessen Corporation, in a patent infringement lawsuit filed against Bausch
& Lomb (NYSE: BOL).                                                             

The lawsuit, which was filed on May 3, 2001, claimed that Bausch & Lomb's       
PureVision product infringes Wesley Jessen's U.S. Patent No. 4,711,943, issued  
to Thomas Harvey III (the Harvey patent), which covers various silicone hydrogel
materials for contact lenses.                                                   

The Court ruled in favor of Wesley Jessen and affirmed that the patent is valid,
enforceable and infringed. The Court ordered Bausch & Lomb to discontinue the   
manufacture and sale of its PureVision contact lenses effective immediately in  
the United States. Bausch & Lomb cannot resume manufacture or sale of the       
product within the Unites States at least until 2005 when the Harvey patent     
expires.                                                                        

Currently, PureVision lenses are only manufactured in the United States, which  
means Bausch & Lomb's ability to supply this product to its international       
markets may be affected.                                                        

-MORE-                                                                          
"This is the outcome we expected," said Scott Meece, vice president and general 
counsel for CIBA Vision. "We were quite confident in the validity of this patent
and the infringement by Bausch & Lomb and are extremely pleased with the speed  
with which this case was heard and resolved." In addition to this lawsuit filed 
on behalf of Wesley Jessen, CIBA Vision has had litigation pending against      
Bausch & Lomb since 1999 for infringement of four U.S. patents that protect its 

                                                        Page 7 of 41 Total Pages

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breakthrough Focus(R) NIGHT & DAY(TM) technology, which allows 30 nights of     
continuous wear. The cases in the U.S. were initially delayed because of Bausch 
& Lomb's attempts to invalidate CIBA Vision's patents in four reexamination     
proceedings before the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). After   
Bausch & Lomb exhausted all options with the USPTO, all four patents were issued
again in November 2000, confirming the patents' validity and illustrating the   
pioneering nature of CIBA Vision's inventions. CIBA Vision has also initiated   
litigation against Bausch & Lomb in several other countries. If CIBA Vision     
prevails in the U.S. case, Bausch & Lomb's PureVision lenses will remain off the
market until at least 2014.                                                     

"We are just as confident that we will prevail in our remaining patent          
infringement cases against Bausch & Lomb," added Meece. "We are eager to go to  
trial with our suits in the U.S., Australia and Germany, and to continue to     
protect CIBA Vision's breakthrough inventions."                                 

With worldwide headquarters in Atlanta, CIBA Vision is a global leader in       
research, development and manufacturing of optical and ophthalmic products and  
services, including contact lenses, lens care products and ophthalmic surgical  
products. CIBA Vision products are available in more than 70 countries. For more
information, visit the CIBA Vision web site at www.cibavision.com.              

CIBA Vision is the eye care unit of Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS), a world leader in  
healthcare with core businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics,  
eye care and animal health. In 2001, the Group's ongoing businesses achieved    
sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1 billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion
(USD 4.2 billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5    
billion) in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies  
employ about 72,600 people and operate in more than 140 countries around the    
world. For further information, please consult www.novartis.com.                

Forward-Looking Statement                                                       
The foregoing statement contains forward-looking statements that involve known  
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual    
results to be materially different from any future results, performance, or     
achievements expressed or implied by such statements. The statement references  
patent litigation filed by CIBA Vision and our views on the nature and          
likelihood of success of that litigation. The statement reflects the view of the
Company as of today. It is impossible to predict with certainty the outcome of  
patent litigation and the risks presented thereby. Should one or more of these  
risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may vary materially from     
those described herein as anticipated, believed or expected.                    

 # # #

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                                       Novartis International AG 
                                                   Novartis Communications
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland

                                               Tel +41 61 324 2200
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 3300
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Lescol(R) shown to reduce risk of serious cardiac events following surgery to   
open constricted coronary arteries                                              

Journal of the American Medical Association publishes landmark trial findings   

Basel, Switzerland, 25 June, 2002 - Treatment with the cholesterol-lowering     
medication Lescol(R) 80 mg (fluvastatin sodium), routinely initiated shortly    
after a first angioplasty(a procedure to clear narrowed arteries), significantly
reduced the chances of a second serious cardiac event by 22% - even in patients 
with normal cholesterol levels, according to the results of the landmark Lescol 
Intervention Prevention Study (LIPS) published in today's edition of the Journal
of the American Medical Association (JAMA).The results of LIPS, which was the   
first prospective statin study in this setting, may have major implications for 
the 1.8 million patients annually who undergo angioplasty procedures(i).        
Novartis plans to use the LIPS findings to broaden the indication for Lescol.   

LIPS provides us with the scientific foundation to change the way we treat      
patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), such as          
angioplasty or other similar procedures," commented lead author and principal   
investigator Patrick Serruys, MD, PhD, Professor of Interventional Cardiology at
Erasmus Medical Centre, University Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.(ii)    
"The study supports early intervention with fluvastatin in post-PCI patients,   
regardless of cholesterol levels, to help prevent fatal and non fatal cardiac   
events such as heart attacks and coronary surgery."                             

LIPS demonstrated that, in every 19 people treated for four years, that Lescol  
prevented one fatal or non-fatal major adverse cardiac event. The study         
population had an average LDL cholesterol level of 132 mg/dL [3.4 mmol/L], at   
entry. Hence, half of the patients had a baseline cholesterol level within the  
normal range. The risk reduction following Lescol therapy was similar           
irrespective of baseline cholesterol levels. Because of this, the authors       
concluded that statin therapy after PCI should be based on an overall risk      
assessment of the patient, and not just baseline cholesterol levels.            

LIPS is the first prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate 
the effects of a statin - specifically Lescol - exclusively in patients who have
had a first PCI. These patients represent a population with early-stage coronary
heart disease, who are at high risk of a second major adverse cardiac event.    
While 90% of the 1.8 million patients who undergo PCI have immediate improvement
in chest pain (angina), 66% of patients die or have a cardiac event within 10   
years after surgery.(2)                                                         

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LIPS involved 1677 patients recruited from 57 centres in 10 countries (Europe,  
Canada and Brazil) for four years. The study examined the time to first major   
adverse cardiac event, following a first PCI. Major adverse cardiac events were 
defined as cardiac death, nonfatal heart attack, coronary artery bypass grafting
or repeat PCI. Patients were randomised to receive either Lescol 80 mg/day (40  
mg twice daily) or placebo before hospital discharge after their first PCI      
coronary surgical procedure.(1)                                                 

The study demonstrated that Lescol 80mg (40mg twice daily) significantly reduced
the risk of major adverse cardiac events by 22%, as compared with placebo       
(p=0.01).(2)  In addition, in certain high-risk patients, the benefits of Lescol
were even more profound. Patients with diabetes, experienced a 47% reduction in 
the risk of a serious cardiac event,(2) as compared with placebo (p=0.04). The  
study also found high-risk patients with multi-vessel disease, experienced a 34%
reduction in the risk of a major cardiac event, when compared with placebo      
(p=0.01).(2) Patients with or without a stent, experienced similar benefits when
taking Lescol therapy.2 Of the patients treated with Lescol, those with unstable
angina experienced a greater risk reduction than those with stable angina (28%  
versus 20%, respectively). Levels of harmful LDL cholesterol were significantly 
reduced with Lescol to mean levels below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L) throughout the  
course of the study. The LIPS data thus support the National Cholesterol        
Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines to lower LDL cholesterol 
to below the target level of 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L) in all patients after a     
PCI.(2)                                                                         

The data also underscored the excellent safety profile of Lescol: there were no 
significant elevations of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) above 10x ULN over the   
three to four years of follow up. Elevated CPK is an indication of muscle       
breakdown and is a potential side effect of statin therapies. These safety data 
match those from a recent analysis involving more than 9000 patients of all     
randomised, controlled clinical trials with Lescol/ Lescol XL(R) administered as
monotherapy, in which the rate of clinically relevant CPK elevations was not    
significantly different at any Lescol dose than in patients receiving           
placebo.(3)                                                                     

Novartis introduced Lescol extended-release, once-daily 80 mg formulation in    
2000 (Lescol XL), which has been shown in trials to provide effective lipid     
management, with reductions of 38% in harmful LDL-cholesterol, up to 31% in     
triglycerides and increases of up to 21% in favorable HDL-cholesterol.(4)       

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements", relating to the     
business of Novartis, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking     
terminology such as "may have major implications", "plans to use", "excellent   
safety profile", "provide effective lipid management"or similar expressions.    
Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties  
and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from 
any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such    
statements. There are no guarantees that the aforementioned data will result in 
the commercialisation or continued commercialisation or broadening of approved  
indication for Lescol in any market. Any such commercialization can be affected 
by, amongst other things, uncertainties relating to product development,        
regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally, the ability to 
obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection 
and competition in general, as well as factors discussed in the Company's Form  
20F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of    
these risks or uncertainties materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as    
anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.                                   

                                                       Page 10 of 41 Total Pages

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Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com.                                                

--------------------                                                            

1    Ruygrok PN, de Jaegere PT, van Domburg RT, et al. Clinical outcome 10 years
after attempted percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in 856 
patients. J Am Coll Cardiol 1996;27:1669-77.                          

2    Patrick WJC Serruys, MD, PhD, et al. Fluvastatin for Prevention of Cardiac 
     Events Following Successful First Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Draft
Manuscript. JAMA. June 26, 2002.                                      

3    Benghozi et al. Frequency of creatinine kinase elevation during treatment  
with fluvastatin. Am J Card 2002, Jan 15.                             

4    Ballantyne et al. Efficacy and Tolerability of Fluvastatin                 
     Extended-Releases Delivery System: A Pooled Analysis. Clinical Therapeutics
2001, No 2, Vol 23, p177-192.                                         

 # # #

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                                      Novartis Ophthalmics, Inc. 
                                         Media Relations
                                                   11695 Johns Creek Parkway
                                               Duluth, Georgia 30097
                             USA

                                          Tel 770-905-1020
                             Fax
                                             E-mail: jan.mcclure
                                              @pharma.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE                                                                   

Novartis Ophthalmics teams with Carter Center to fight painful, blinding        
diseases                                                                        

Atlanta, 19 June 2002 - Novartis Ophthalmics, North America, today announced a  
pilot program to aid former President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center in     
their work to prevent trachoma, a chronic bacterial infection that is the       
world's leading cause of preventable blindness, and river blindness, caused by a
parasite transmitted by the bite of black flies.                                

In addition to a $50,000 donation to the Carter Center to fight blindness,      
Novartis Ophthalmics will donate supplies of Eye Scrub(R) cleanser, currently   
being used during and after trachoma surgeries in a pilot program in Ethiopia.  
The inflammation of trachoma leads to trichiasis, or in-turned eyelashes, which 
painfully abrade patients' corneas. If trichiasis is not surgically corrected,  
the disease leads to permanent blindness. The World Health Organization (WHO)   
estimates that trachoma already has blinded, or severely disabled 6 million     
people.                                                                         

146 million people worldwide need medical treatment for trachoma, which         
flourishes where hygiene is poor. WHO and partner organizations have developed a
strategy called SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Face washing, Environmental hygiene)
to combat the disease.                                                          

"In areas with limited access to clean, safe water, post-operative complications
are common. Eye Scrub could improve the outcome of eye surgeries for the        
neediest patients," said Dan Myers, president of Novartis Ophthalmics. "These   
surgeries are done not only to save villagers from going blind, but also to end 
the painful irritation of trichiasis. Sterile equipment and supplies are limited
in these countries. Eye Scrub is packaged as a sterile, individually wrapped pad
that does not require water."                                                   

Novartis Ophthalmics, North America, which is based in Atlanta, will announce   
the pilot program at a dinner on Wednesday, June 19, at The Carter Center       
honoring President and Mrs. Carter and their commitment to vision-related health
projects around the world. During the evening, President Carter will give       
Atlanta's leading ophthalmologists an overview of the Carter Center's health    
projects as well as an update on health conditions in Cuba, where he recently   
traveled.                                                                       

                                                       Page 12 of 41 Total Pages

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"Due to the efforts of President and Mrs. Carter, The Carter Center is a `light 
of hope' beaming throughout the world for millions of impoverished people,"     
Myers said. "Novartis Ophthalmics is very pleased to be able to join forces with
The Carter Center in helping people retain their sight."                        

Novartis Ophthalmics, maker of Visudyne(R), Rescula(R), Zaditor(TM) and other   
ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, is also a partner with Prevent Blindness Georgia in 
outreach programs to test children for lazy eye and to screen the homeless for  
eye glasses.                                                                    

About Novartis Ophthalmics                                                      
With worldwide headquarters in Bulach, Switzerland, Novartis Ophthalmics is a   
global leader in research, development and manufacturing of leading ophthalmic  
pharmaceuticals that assist in the treatment of glaucoma, age-related macular   
degeneration, eye inflammation, ocular allergies and other diseases and         
disorders of the eye. Novartis Ophthalmics products are available in more than  
110 different countries. The North American headquarters is based in Atlanta,   
Ga. Novartis Ophthalmics has production sites in Switzerland, France and Canada.
For more information, please go to the web site www.novartisophthalmics.com/us. 

About Novartis                                                                  
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72,600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult www.novartis.com.                                                       

 # # #

Contact                                                                         

Jan McClure, Director,  Corporate Communications, Novartis Ophthalmics          

Phone:  +1 770.905.1010                                                         
Fax:    +1 770.905.1510                                                         
Email:  jan.mcclure@pharma.novartis.com                                         

                                                       Page 13 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                 Investor Relations    Novartis International AG 
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland
                                                    Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
                                               Tel +41 61 324 8433
                                          Nafida Bendali
                                               Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                              Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                                Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                        Silke Zenter
                                               Tel +41 61 324 8612
                                            Francisco Bouzas
                                               Tel +41 61 324 8444
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

- Investor Relations Release -

Novartis secures first marketing approval for breakthrough asthma drug as       
Australia approves Xolair(R)                                                    

Basel, 18 June 2002 - Novartis has today welcomed a decision by the Therapeutic 
Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia to approve the new anti-IgE therapy     
Xolair(R) (omalizumab)* for treating adults and adolescents with moderate       
allergic asthma. This represents the first marketing approval anywhere in the   
world so far for Xolair.                                                        

The decision comes after the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee agreed that   
Xolair should be indicated for the management of adult and adolescent patients  
with moderate allergic asthma who are already being treated with inhaled        
steroids and have raised levels of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE).                

Thomas Ebeling, CEO of Novartis Pharma AG, said: "We are delighted by this      
approval, which means that asthma patients are a step closer to experiencing the
benefits of this new treatment. Xolair seems to offer a unique method to enhance
the control of their disease by targeting a root cause of allergic asthma."     

Xolair - which was developed under an agreement between Novartis Pharma AG,     
Genentech, Inc. and Tanox, Inc. - is a monoclonal antibody and the first agent  
to specifically target IgE. It works by binding to circulating IgE and          
preventing it from attaching to mast cells. Without IgE bound to mast cells, the
presence of an allergen will not cause the release of chemical mediators like   
histamine and leukotrienes, which lead to the symptoms and inflammation of      
allergic asthma. Xolair is administered every two to four weeks subcutaneously  
(i.e. by injection under the skin), at a dose depending on the patient's body   
weight and IgE level.                                                           

Meanwhile, submissions for the approval of Xolair are proceeding in a number of 
other important markets. In the US, Genentech and Novartis are planning to      
submit an amendment to the Biologics License Application for Xolair to the Food 
and Drug Administration in the fourth quarter of 2002. The content of this      
amendment will address requests for additional information made by the FDA in a 
Complete Response letter issued in July 2001, and the companies expect that data
from ongoing trials will satisfy those requests.                                

-------------                                                                   
* In the US: Xolair(TM)(omalizumab)                                             

                                                       Page 14 of 41 Total Pages

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The foregoing press release contains forward-looking statements which can be    
identified by terminology such as "are proceeding", "planning to submit", "will 
address", "expect that", or similar expressions, or by discussion of potential  
additional approvals of Xolair. Such forward-looking statements involve known   
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results
to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements 
expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no certainty that Xolair  
will be approved in any other market. Management's expectation regarding the    
commercial potential of Xolair in any market could be affected by, amongst other
things, uncertainties relating to product development, regulatory actions or    
delays or government regulation generally, the ability to obtain or maintain    
patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection and competition in 
general, as well as factors discussed in the Company's Form 20F filed with the  
US Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or     
uncertainties materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect,    
actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated,  
believed, estimated or expected.                                                

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com                                                 

 # # #

                                                       Page 15 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                                       Novartis International AG 
                                                   Novartis Communications
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland

                                               Tel +41 61 324 2200
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 3300
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Starlix(R) (nateglinide) significantly improves glycaemic control in metformin  
patients with type 2 diabetes                                                   

Starlix(R)as an add-on to metformin significantly reduces HbA1c in a safe and   
well-tolerated manner                                                           

Basel, 17 June 2002 - New data presented today at the American Diabetes         
Association (ADA) annual meeting in San Francisco suggest that Starlix(R)       
(nateglinide) improves glycaemic control in a safe and well-tolerated manner in 
patients whose type 2 diabetes is inadequately controlled by taking metformin   
alone. These new data, obtained in a real-world setting, are in line with a     
double-blind clinical study published in May in Diabetes Obesity and            
Metabolism(1).                                                                  

The new results are particularly significant because improved glycaemic control,
as measured by a reduction of HbA1c levels, may lead to a dramatic lowering of  
deaths and complications from diabetes. Even a 1% reduction in HbA1c can        
correlate to a 21% decrease in deaths from diabetes and a 14% decrease in heart 
attacks(2). Since both fasting and post-meal blood glucose contribute to HbA1c, 
the combination of metformin (which acts on fasting blood glucose) and Starlix  
(which acts on post-meal blood glucose), reduces HbA1c more than either agent   
alone. In the new studies, reductions in HbA1c were even seen in patients who   
were close to their target blood glucose levels. This suggests that even those  
metformin patients near to target may benefit from the addition of Starlix to   
their regimen and the reduced risk of death and complications that is associated
with improved glycaemic control.                                                

"This study takes what we know about the efficacy of Starlix in clinical trials 
to where it matters most - a real-world setting," said Ken Hershon, MD, FACE,   
FACP, Director of Research, Northshore Diabetes and Endocrine Associates. "Here,
we found that nateglinide reduced mealtime glucose spikes and overall blood     
glucose just as well or even better than it did in controlled clinical trials." 

The new US study(3) involved 83 type 2 diabetes patients inadequately controlled
on metformin monotherapy (HbA1c 7.0-9.5%). For 12 weeks, these patients took 120
mg nateglinide before meals, in addition to their usual dose of metformin. The  
results showed that 70% of the patients responded to nateglinide therapy        
(decrease in HbA1c of at least 0.5%). The mean reduction in HbA1c over the 12   
weeks was 0.8%. Plasma glucose two hours after a standard breakfast was reduced 
by a mean of 2.7 mmol/l. Nateglinide was well-tolerated and hypoglycaemia was   
confirmed by a low blood glucose level in only three patients (3.6%).           

                                                       Page 16 of 41 Total Pages

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These clinical data obtained in a real-world setting are in line with the       
results of a randomised controlled trial1 published in the current issue of     
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. This trial involved 467 type 2 diabetes       
patients who were stabilised on high-dose metformin (=>1500 mg/day) and who had 
an HbA1c of 6.8-11%. Patients were randomised to receive 60 mg nateglinide, 120 
mg nateglinide, or placebo before main meals, in addition to taking 2000 mg     
metformin twice daily, for 24 weeks.                                            

The trial results showed that the addition of Starlix to metformin monotherapy  
resulted in a significant reduction in HbA1c compared with placebo. At the end  
of the study HbA1c had been reduced by a mean of 0.6% in patients taking 120 mg 
nateglinide. Patients with high HbA1c at baseline had the greatest reduction in 
HbA1c (mean of -1.4%). Starlix was well tolerated with mild cases of            
hypoglycaemia being the only treatment-related event so far: hypoglycaemia was  
confirmed in only five patients (3.1%) taking the 120 mg dose and in none of the
patients taking the 60 mg dose.                                                 

Similar findings were obtained in a study recently performed in clinical        
practice in the UK.(4) This UK study involved 214 patients whose type 2 diabetes
was treated with metformin but poorly controlled (HbA1c 7.2-9.3%). These        
patients were given an additional 120 mg nateglinide before main meals for 12   
weeks. At the end of the study, HbA1c had been reduced by a mean of 0.7% and    
plasma glucose two hours after a standard breakfast by a mean of 2.4 mmol/l.    
Starlix was well tolerated in patients, with symptoms suggestive of             
hypoglycaemia reported in 15% of patients.                                      

The data from these three studies confirm that Starlix is effective and         
well-tolerated and can bring about a significant reduction in HbA1c in patients 
who are inadequately controlled on metformin alone. Many type 2 diabetes        
patients can initially achieve adequate glycaemic control with a single oral    
anti-diabetic drug like metformin, combined with diet and lifestyle changes.    
However, as type 2 diabetes progresses, most patients require the addition of a 
second agent. Starlix is a useful adjunct to metformin monotherapy as it is     
well-tolerated and has a complementary pharmacological action.                  

Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of reduced insulin secretion and     
reduced sensitivity of the body's cells to insulin (insulin resistance).        
Metformin reduces hepatic (liver) glucose production and insulin resistance and 
acts primarily to reduce fasting blood glucose. In contrast, nateglinide acts   
primarily on post-prandial blood glucose. When taken before a meal, nateglinide 
rapidly stimulates a short burst of insulin secretion from pancreatic           
(beta)-cells. This restores the early insulin secretion that is lost in people  
with type 2 diabetes and prevents the post-meal glucose spikes characteristic of
the condition. Starlix duration of action is very short, minimizing the risk of 
severe or long-lasting hypoglycaemia. The combination of metformin and Starlix  
reduces HbA1c more than either agent alone.                                     

The forgoing press release contains forward-looking statements which can be     
identified by terminology such as "improves", "suggest that", "improve", "may   
benefit", "enhances" or similar expressions. Such forward looking statements    
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause 
actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance  
or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There are no guarantees
that the aforementioned clinical trials will result in the commercialization of 
any product in any market. Any such commercialization can be affected by,       
amongst other things, uncertainties relating to product development, regulatory 
actions or delays or government regulation generally, the ability to obtain or  
maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection and       
competition in general.                                                         

                                                       Page 17 of 41 Total Pages

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Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com. For further information on type 2 diabetes,    
visit www.diabetesandhealth.com. Novartis in-licensed nateglinide from Ajinomoto
Co., Inc. in 1993.                                                              

References                                                                      

1.   Marre M, Van Gaal L, Usadel K-H, Ball M, Whatmough I, Guitard C.           
     Nateglinide improves glycaemic control when added to metformin monotherapy:
results of a randomized trial with type 2 diabetes patients. Diabetes,
Obesity and Metabolism 2002; 4: 1-10.                                 

2.   Stratton IM, Adler AI, Neil AW, Matthews DR, Manley SE, Cull CA, Hadden D, 
Turner RC, Holman RR. Association of glycaemia with macrovascular and 
microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes (UKPDS 35): prospective
observational study. BMJ 2000; 321: 405-412.                          

3.   Baron M, Mager RR, Vyas KH, Purkayastha DD. Nateglinide (Starlix)          
 effectively lowers HbA1c through reductions in post prandial glucose in
  subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Abstract presented at ADA Annual
Meeting, date, 2002.                                                  

4.   Weaver JU, Robertson DA, Atkin SL. Nateglinide alone and as add-on therapy 
  to metformin in UK clinical practice: a 12-week study. Diabetic Medicine
2002; 19 (Suppl 2): 112-115.                                          

 # # #

                                                       Page 18 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                Investor Relations    Novartis International AG  
                                       CH-4002 Basel
                                     Switzerland
                                                  Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
                                             Tel +41 61 324 8433
                                        Nafida Bendali
                                             Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                            Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                              Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                      Silke Zenter
                                             Tel +41 61 324 8612
                                          Francisco Bouzas
                                             Tel +41 61 324 8444
                                              Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                           Internet Address:
                                                 http://www.novartis.com

- Investor Relations Release -

Data suggest that Prexige(TM)(lumiracoxib), a new COX-2 inhibitor, offers strong
efficacy                                                                        

Latest results additionally confirm Prexige(TM)is well-tolerated with           
gastrointestinal safety superior to NSAIDs                                      

Basel, 13 June 2002 - Highlights from key Phase II studies presented for the    
first time at EULAR, the European League Against Rheumatism annual congress,    
Stockholm, demonstrate that Prexige(TM) (lumiracoxib, COX189), a new innovative 
investigational COX-2 selective inhibitor, has efficacy equal to the current    
European "gold standard", diclofenac, in the treatment of patients with         
arthritis and pain. Additional data presented at EULAR confirm Prexige(TM) is   
well tolerated, and its gastrointestinal safety profile is superior to          
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in this patient group. All       
results to date support the potential use of Prexige(TM) in the treatment of    
symptoms of arthritis and pain.                                                 

NSAIDs are commonly used for treating pain associated with arthritis. However,  
they are associated with gastrointestinal (GI) ulcers and bleeding, due to      
non-selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX). The Phase II data with        
Prexige(TM) shows it to be highly effective in the treatment of the symptoms of 
arthritis and pain, while demonstrating improvements in safety and tolerability,
including GI safety, beyond traditional NSAIDs.                                 

Results of an exploratory analysis of a large multinational study of 583        
patients(iii) confirm the clinical relevance of the findings previously         
presented by Schnitzer, et al.(iv) The assessment of the responder rate of      
Prexige(TM) in osteoarthritis (OA) pain show that Prexige(TM) at 400mg once     
daily (od) is highly effective for the treatment of patients with OA. These     
findings suggest that Prexige(TM) provides the same strong efficacy as high     
doses of diclofenac (75mg twice a day) in treatment response defined as a 20%   
reduction in OA pain intensity based on the visual analog scale measure.        

Commenting on the results, Jorg Reinhardt, Head of Development, Novartis Pharma 
AG, said: "These data suggest that Prexige(TM) is a highly efficacious COX-2    
selective inhibitor. Prexige(TM) has been shown to be as efficacious as the     
"gold standard" treatment for arthritis, which is very encouraging news in the  
development of new treatments in this therapy area."                            

                                                       Page 19 of 41 Total Pages

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A second study, by Codreanu, et al.(v), compared the safety and tolerability of 
Prexige(TM) to ibuprofen and celecoxib, over 3 months. The study investigated   
upper gastrointestinal safety and tolerability in 1042 OA patients treated over 
13 weeks. The results indicate that at both doses (200 mg od and 400 mg od)     
Prexige(TM) showed a superior GI safety and tolerability profile compared with  
ibuprofen. With respect to the occurrence of gastroduodenal ulcers, Prexige(TM) 
was statistically superior to ibuprofen (p<0.01). The study showed that 15.7% of
patients in the ibuprofen group experienced ulcers compared with 4.3% and 4.0%  
in the Prexige(TM) groups (200 mg od and 400 mg od respectively), which was     
comparable to the celecoxib group (3.2%) in 1011 patients.                      

A further set of studies, conducted by Scott, et al.(vi,vii), and one additional
study by Rordorf, et al.(viii), investigated the efficacy and safety, and       
explored the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Prexige(TM) at various    
dosing regimens. Overall, Prexige(TM) was well tolerated and efficacious, and no
clinically significant changes in laboratory parameters were noted. In addition,
dose frequency did not appear to influence overall pain scores and no effect on 
platelet aggregation was observed. From these studies, it can be concluded that 
a single, daily dose of Prexige(TM) at 800 mg (2-4 times the expected           
therapeutic dose) is safe and well tolerated.                                   

Commenting on the wealth of trial data presented at EULAR, Thomas Ebeling, CEO, 
Novartis Pharma AG, said, "We are all very excited by the progress made by      
Prexige(TM) during this clinical trial phase. Our data show we can offer        
efficacy of the most powerful NSAIDs currently available with superior GI       
safety."                                                                        

The foregoing press release contains forward-looking statements that can be     
identified by terminology such as "suggests that", "showed", "seems superior",  
"indicate", "should be", or similar expressions. Such forward looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause 
actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance  
or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There are no guarantees
that the aforementioned clinical trials will result in the commercialisation of 
any product in any market. Any such commercialisation can be affected by,       
amongst other things, uncertainties relating to product development, including  
the results of clinical trials, regulatory actions or delays or government      
regulation generally, the ability to obtain or maintain patent or other         
proprietary intellectual property protection and competition in general, as well
as factors discussed in the Company's Form 20F filed with the Securities and    
Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties         
materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results   
may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed,       
estimated or expected.                                                          

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com.                                                

 # # #

                                                       Page 20 of 41 Total Pages

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--------------------                                                            
1    A Moore, et al., Responder rate of COX189 in osteoarthritis: a             
multinational study. Abstract 265presented at EULAR, 2002.            

1    T Schnitzer, et al., Efficacy and safety of COX189 in osteoarthritis: a    
multinational study. Abstract 1616 presented at ACR, 2000.            

1    C Codreanu, et al., Improved upper gastrointestinal (UGI) safety and       
tolerability of a new coxib, COX189 compared with ibuprofen in        
osteoarthritis patients. Abstract 226 presented at EULAR, 2002.       

1    G Scott, et al., Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of COX189 in        
     patients with knee or hip primary osteoarthritis. Abstract 233 presented at
EULAR, 2002.                                                          

1    G Scott, et al., Dose Escalation study to assess the safety, tolerability, 
pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of COX189 in healthy subjects.  
Abstract 300 presented at EULAR, 2002.                                

1    C Rordorf, et al., Steady state pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety 
   and tolerability of COX189 in healthy subjects. Abstract 284 presented at
EULAR, 2002.                                                          

                                                       Page 21 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                                       Novartis International AG 
                                                   Novartis Communications
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland

                                               Tel +41 61 324 2200
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 3300
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Novartis announces recipients of Diabetes Award                                 

Judging panel praises `outstanding' quality of nominations                      

Basel, 13 June 2002 - Novartis Pharma AG today announced the recipients of the  
2002 Novartis Award in Diabetes. Four awards of USD 25 000 each will be given to
clinical investigators judged to have made exceptional contributions to the     
field of diabetes.                                                              

The judging panel, comprised of independent internationally-recognised diabetes 
experts, selected two recipients in each of the categories: Long-Standing       
Achievement and Young Investigator.                                             

Professor Eberhard Standl, Chairman of panel, said "we were extremely impressed 
by the quality of the nominations this year. The recipients have conducted      
outstanding research, crucial to advancing our knowledge of diabetes. Their     
contributions have already had and will have a major impact on diabetes         
treatment and on the quality of life of millions of people around the world     
whose lives are affected by the disease".                                       

The Long-Standing Achievement Awards will be presented to Professor Sir George  
Alberti of the UK and Professor Daniel Porte of the USA for their exceptional   
and sustained achievements in clinical research, education and clinical         
practice.                                                                       

o    Professor Alberti is President of the International Diabetes Federation and
  has worked with the World Health Organisation for many years, serving on
    its Expert Advisory Panel since 1979. He is President of the Royal College
 of Physicians, Professor of Medicine at the University of Newcastle and
Professor of Metabolic Medicine at Imperial College, London. Professor
Alberti has devoted many years of his career to the pursuit of raising
awareness of diabetes and the need for screening and more aggressive  
management of the disease.                                            

o    Professor Daniel Porte is Professor of Medicine at the University of       
California School of Medicine, Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the  
   University of Washington School of Medicine and Staff Physician at the VA
 San Diego Health Care System. Professor Porte's career has spanned more
than 30 years of research in diabetes. He has published over 350      
     professional papers on topics as far-reaching and diverse as insulin action
    in the central nervous system; beta cell dysfunction and preservation; and
the pathophysiology of impaired glucose tolerance.                    

                                                       Page 22 of 41 Total Pages

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The Young Investigator Award recognises innovative patient-oriented research in 
the fields of physiology, pathophysiology or epidemiology of diabetes and its   
complications. Awards will be presented to Dr Riccardo Bonadonna of Italy and Dr
Kitt Petersen of the USA.                                                       

o    Dr Riccardo Bonadonna is Assistant Professor at the University of Verona   
   Medical School. Dr. Bonadonna has published over 60 papers on topics such
as insulin and its metabolic effects.                                 

o    Dr Kitt Petersen is Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Assistant 
    Director of the General Clinical Research Center at Yale University School
    of Medicine. Dr Petersen's work in the broad area of diabetes research has
focused on endocrinology, glucose metabolism, and insulin-resistance. 

"We, at Novartis, honour this year's recipients for their personal and          
professional commitment to diabetes," said Dr. James Shannon, Global Head of    
Clinical Research and Development from Novartis. "We hope that the Novartis     
Award in Diabetes will continue to inspire researchers from around the world to 
strive for the highest standards in diabetes treatment and clinical research."  

The Award recipients will be honoured at a gala Presentation Dinner at the      
Hungarian National Gallery, to be held on September 2002, during the EASD in    
Budapest.                                                                       

Novartis Commitment to Diabetes                                                 
This international award is one of many activities that Novartis is supporting  
to help increase awareness of and urgency for innovation in diabetes research,  
education and clinical practice. Novartis is constantly exploring new approaches
for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and has recently launched Starlix(R)       
(nateglinide), a novel insulin secretion agent. Starlix(R) is a derivative of   
the amino acid D-phenylalanine and restores the physiological insulin secretion 
pattern lost in people with type 2 diabetes, thereby preventing the mealtime    
glucose spikes that are believed to increase the risk of long-term              
complications. Novartis in-licensed nateglinide from Ajinomoto Co., Inc. in     
1993.                                                                           

About Novartis                                                                  
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com.                                                

For further information on the Novartis Award in Diabetes, please visit the     
Novartis Portal for Type 2 Diabetes www.diabetesandhealth.com.                  

 # # #

                                                       Page 23 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                                       Novartis International AG 
                                                   Novartis Communications
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland

                                               Tel +41 61 324 2200
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 3300
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Estalis(R) HRT patch demonstrates positive effects on sexual functioning in     
postmenopausal women in comparison with pills                                   

Data also suggest menopausal women prefer patches to pills for the delivery of  
hormone replacement therapy                                                     

Basel, 12 June 2002 - Preliminary study results published at the 10th World     
Congress on Menopause in Berlin demonstrate that the use of Estalis(R)*         
continuous, combined matrix HRT patch, has positive effects on psychosexual     
functioning including mood, libido and orgasms. Endocrine markers were also     
found to favor positively towards sexual function.                              

"Female sexual dysfunction - low libido, slow arousal, difficulty in reaching   
orgasm - is a problem millions of postmenopausal women face and for which there 
is a lack of treatment options", said Subir Roy MD, Lead Researcher and         
Professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of        
Medicine, University of Southern California, USA. Our preliminary results might 
be the first step in providing a new solution for post-menopausal women".       

The study was designed to compare the effect of continuous transdermal HRT with 
two different oral HRT formulations on mood and libido in postmenopausal women. 
Twenty-six women were randomized to an Estalis patch or an HRT pill and assessed
using serum endocrine markers and the Derogatis interview for sexual            
functioning. At the end of the eight week study, the Estalis patch was          
associated with a increase in ability to have orgasm, intensity of orgasm,      
ability to have multiple orgasms, sense of control/timing of orgasm and a sense 
of relaxation and well-being after orgasm, as compared with the two oral        
therapies (p=0.05). Larger and longer investigations are underway to verify     
these results.                                                                  

A second HRT study, presented by Professor James Simon MD (Department of        
Obstetrics and Gynecology, George Washington University, USA), concluded that   
menopausal women preferred patches to pills, indicating that long-term          
compliance may increase with the use of patches.                                

In the study, women were provided with a placebo patch and a placebo pill for   
four weeks. Of the 186 participants, 81.2% rated the patch as `excellent',      
`good' or `very good', whereas 7% gave it a `poor' rating. 37.1% preferred the  
patch "a lot more" in comparison with 17.2% for the pill.                       

                                                       Page 24 of 41 Total Pages

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*CombiPatch in the U.S.                                                         

                                                       Page 25 of 41 Total Pages

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Novartis pioneered transdermal hormone replacement therapy in the 1980s to meet 
the needs of peri- and post-menopausal women requiring relief from menopausal   
symptoms and protection against osteoporosis. Menopausal symptoms include       
declining sexual function, hot flushes and night sweats, disturbed sleep, memory
loss, as well as the risk for developing osteoporosis later in life. It is      
estimated that by 2005, 36% of women will be over the age of 50 and have a      
potential need for alleviation of distressing menopausal symptoms, which        
compromise their quality of life.                                               

This release contains certain forward looking statements which can be identified
by the use of forward looking terminology such as "suggest", "demonstrates/has  
positive effects", "might be the first step in providing a new solution",       
"associated with a significant increase' and "may increase", and by any         
discussions or suggestions regarding potential future sales of Estalis or other 
Novartis products. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown    
risks, certainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be        
materially different from any future results, performance or achievements       
expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantees that        
Estalis, or other Novartis products will reach any particular level of sales.   
Any such sales can be affected by, amongst other things, outcome of further     
studies, uncertainties relating to regulatory actions or delays or government   
regulation generally, the ability to obtain or maintain patent or other         
proprietary intellectual property protection and competition in general, as well
as factors discussed in Novartis AG's Form 20-F filed with the Securities and   
Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties         
materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, then actual      
results may differ materially from the expected or predicted results.           

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com.                                                

 # # #

                                                       Page 26 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                                        Novartis International AG
                                                     Novartis Communications
                                           CH-4002 Basel
                                         Switzerland

                                                 Tel +41 61 324 2200
                                                  Fax + 41 61 324 3300
                                               Internet Address:
                                                     http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

New data show Glivec(R) as first-line treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia    
maintains quality of life                                                       

o    Head-to-head data show Glivec is nearly three times more effective as      
   first-line treatment for CML patients than interferon combination therapy

o    Data comparing efficacy and quality of life with Glivec to interferon      
 combination therapy in newly diagnosed patients presented at meeting of
European Haematology Association                                      

Basel, 7 June 2002 - Glivec(R) (imatinib)* provides newly diagnosed patients    
with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the     
chronic phase a significantly better quality of life (QoL) than does the        
commonly used combination of interferon (IFN) plus chemotherapy [cytarabine     
arabinoside, (Ara-C)], according to data presented at the 7th annual meeting of 
the European Haematology Association (EHA) in Florence, Italy. The data were    
derived from an analysis of results from the International Randomized Study of  
Interferon vs. STI571 (IRIS), a large multicentre trial that demonstrated that  
Glivec is nearly three times more effective in achieving a cytogenetic response 
in the first-line treatment of newly diagnosed CML patients than the combination
therapy. In addition, Glivec significantly delayed the time to progression to   
the more advanced stages of CML compared to IFN/Ara-C. These data also were     
presented today at the EHA meeting.                                             

"The ability to maintain a patient's quality of life is a critically important  
factor in selecting any cancer therapy," said Elizabeth Hahn, Director of       
Biostatistics at the Centre on Outcomes, Research and Education, Evanston       
Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, Illinois. "In an early analysis, the IRIS    
study has shown that at the 12-month checkpoint, Glivec is significantly more   
effective than the combination of IFN and Ara-C in patients with newly diagnosed
CML. These quality of life data demonstrate that Glivec offers an important     
added benefit by enabling treatment of patients without significantly impairing 
their lifestyles. And, a good quality of life suggests that patients are likely 
to stay on treatment."                                                          

The quality of life assessment was based on the Functional Assessment of Cancer 
Therapy--Biologic Response Modifiers (FACT-BRM) scale, a standardized QoL       
questionnaire that evaluates physical, functional, social/family and emotional  
well-being. The difference in quality of life was evident within one month after
start of treatment, during which patients on Glivec consistently scored higher  
than those on the combination therapy.                                          

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Clinical Data                                                                   
The QoL study was part of IRIS, an open-label, Phase III trial that enrolled    
1,106 patients in 177 centres in 16 countries. One study arm received Glivec at 
400 mg/day by mouth; the other arm received the combination of IFN by           
subcutaneous injection at 5 million IU/m2/day plus Ara-C 20 mg/m2/day by        
intravenous infusion for 10 days each month. In this study, QoL was assessed    
based on FACT-BRM at the beginning of treatment, and was re-evaluated monthly   
for the first six months and every three months thereafter. A total of 1,049    
patients completed at least one QoL assessment and 885 patients completed at    
least six assessments: 486 in the Glivec arm and 399 in the IFN/Ara-C arm. The  
average composite scores (Trial Outcome Index [TOI], measured from 0-108 highest
QoL) at 12 months were 84.3 for Glivec and 67.1 for IFN/Ara-C, a statistically  
significant difference of 17.2 (p<0.001). These findings are clinically         
relevant, having substantial impact on the future course of the disease.        
Patients in the Glivec group were able to maintain their quality of life,       
whereas those in the IFN/Ara-C group experienced a decline in QoL that was      
evident within the first month of treatment.                                    

The early results of the IRIS study also were presented at the EHA meeting. The 
study suggested that Glivec was significantly more effective than the           
combination therapy in achieving a cytogenetic response in the first-line       
treatment of patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase CML. Complete          
cytogenetic response, the elimination of the Philadelphia chromosome, is        
regarded as the ultimate goal of CML treatment. The results presented were based
on data collected up to 12 months after the last patient was randomized; the    
median follow-up was 14 months. The results showed that patients had achieved   
major and complete cytogenetic responses of 84% and 69% (Ph<35%), compared with 
patients in the IFN/Ara-C arm, who experienced major and complete cytogenetic   
responses of 30% and 11.5%. The complete haematologic response rates were 96%   
for the Glivec arm and 67% of the IFN/Ara-C arm.                                

"Both the IRIS data and the quality of life findings strongly support the use of
Glivec early in the course of CML," said Francois Guilhot, MD, Head of the      
Department of Oncology, Haematology and Cell Therapy at Jean Bernard Hospital,  
Poitiers, France. "These data provide very encouraging news to patients and     
physicians alike. "                                                             

Last January, based on a review of the six-month positive results for Glivec, an
Independent Data Monitoring Board (IDMB) requested a change in the study        
protocol that enabled patients receiving IFN/Ara-C to switch to Glivec if they  
had not achieved a major cytogenetic response after one year of the combination 
therapy.                                                                        

At the time of this analysis, fewer than 1% of Glivec-treated patients crossed  
over to the IFN/Ara-C therapy, compared with 39% of IFN/Ara-C-treated patients  
who crossed over to Glivec due to insufficient efficacy or intolerance.         

In the IRIS study, the safety profile with Glivec was similar to that of        
previous Phase II studies, and was superior to that of the IFN/Ara-C combination
regimen. The most frequent adverse events with Glivec were mild to moderate     
superficial oedemas, muscle cramps, skin rash and nausea. The most frequent     
adverse events with IFN/Ara-C were nausea, fatigue, headache and diarrhea. In   
the Glivec arm, only 2% and 0.7% of patients discontinued from the study or     
crossed over the control arm for safety reasons, respectively. In contrast, in  
the IFN/Ara-C arm, 6% and 23% of patients discontinued from the study or crossed
over for safety reasons, respectively.                                          

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About Glivec                                                                    
Glivec is one of the first oncology drugs that validate rational drug design    
based on an understanding of how some cancer cells work. It is a signal         
transduction inhibitor, which potentially interferes with the pathways that     
signal the growth of tumor cells. It works by inhibiting the Philadelphia       
chromosome, the abnormality that characterizes CML in most patients. To date,   
Novartis has received marketing clearance for Glivec for the CML indication     
worldwide.                                                                      

In most countries where Glivec is approved, it is indicated for the treatment of
patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML in blast crisis, accelerated 
phase, or in chronic phase after failure of interferon-alpha therapy.           

In February 2002, Glivec received approval from the US Food and Drug            
Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with Kit (CD 117) positive   
unresectable (inoperable) and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal  
tumors (GISTs). Three months later, on 24 May 2002, Glivec received approval for
the GIST indication in the European Union. Glivec also is approved for the GIST 
indication in Switzerland, where it was approved on 9 April 2002.               

Contraindications and Adverse Events                                            
In the second-line treatment of CML patients, the majority of patients treated  
with Glivec experienced adverse events at some time. Most events were of mild to
moderate grade and treatment was discontinued for adverse events only in 2% of  
patients in chronic phase, 3% in accelerated phase and 5% in blast crisis. The  
most common side effects included nausea, fluid retention, vomiting, diarrhoea, 
haemorrhage, muscle cramps, skin rash, fatigue, headache, dyspepsia and         
dyspnoea, as well as neutropenia and thrombocytopenia.                          

The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified
by terminology such as "significantly more effective, " "significantly better, "
"suggests" and "important added benefit" or similar expressions. Such           
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and   
other factors that may cause actual results with Glivec to be materially        
different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or     
implied by such statements. In particular, management's ability to ensure       
satisfaction of the FDA's further requirements is not guaranteed and            
management's expectations regarding further commercialization of Glivec could be
affected by, among other things, additional analysis of data; new data;         
unexpected clinical trial results; unexpected regulatory actions or delays or   
government regulation generally; the Company's ability to obtain or maintain    
patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection; competition in    
general; and other risks and factors referred to in the Company's current Form  
20-F on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States.  
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should       
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from 
those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.                             

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com.                                                

 # # #

                                                       Page 29 of 41 Total Pages

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Additional information can be found at www.novartisoncology.com and at          
www.novartisoncologyvpo.com.                                                    

                                                       Page 30 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                               Novartis Pharmaceuticals          
                       Corporation
                            One Health Plaza
                                       East Hanover, NJ 07936-1080
               USA

                                 Tel  +1- 973 781 8300
                             Internet Address:
                                             http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

FDA grants marketing clearance for Ritalin(R) LA, a once-daily formulation of   
Ritalin(R) for ADHD that lasts through the entire school day                    

East Hanover, NJ, Dublin, Ireland, Warren, NJ, 6 June 2002 - Novartis           
Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NYSE: NVS), Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN)      
("Elan"), and Celgene Corporation (Nasdaq: CELG) announced today that the US    
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing clearance for          
Ritalin(R) LA (methylphenidate HCl) extended-release capsules for the treatment 
of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Ritalin LA, a new once-daily
formulation of Ritalin(R) (methylphenidate HCl), eliminates the need for a      
mid-day dose during school. Ritalin LA uses SODASTM technology*, a proprietary  
drug delivery technology of Elan. The medication is available in 20, 30 and 40  
mg beaded capsules for oral administration.                                     

"Ritalin LA represents an important advance in the treatment of ADHD," said     
Thomas Spencer, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School 
and Assistant Director of the Pediatric Psychopharmacology Research Program at  
Massachusetts General Hospital. "It provides the rapid onset, and the proven    
safety and efficacy of Ritalin in one, single morning dose. Ritalin LA is       
effective in treating ADHD symptoms throughout the school day, eliminating the  
need for children to take their medication while in school."                    

Each bead-filled capsule of Ritalin LA provides an immediate release of Ritalin 
for rapid onset of action, and a second release of the medication approximately 
four hours after administration. The bimodal release formulation of Ritalin LA  
provides two peak concentrations of medication, mimicking twice-daily           
administration of Ritalin, but with less fluctuation. Ritalin LA provides the   
same rapid onset as Ritalin and its efficacy lasts throughout the school day.   
Ritalin LA may be swallowed as whole capsules, or, for children who have        
difficulty swallowing, it may be administered by sprinkling the beaded contents 
on applesauce.                                                                  

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 134 patients, aged 6 to 12   
years, demonstrated Ritalin LA to be effective in treating ADHD symptoms. In    
this study, in which efficacy was evaluated by examining presence of ADHD       
symptoms in home and school settings, Ritalin LA was administered once-daily at 
individually titrated doses ranging from 10-40 mg/day for up to two weeks.      
Efficacy was measured by the change from baseline in the Conners ADHD/DSM-IV    
total subscale for teachers (CADS-T), a validated tool for the assessment of    
ADHD symptoms by teachers. Results of the analysis demonstrated that Ritalin LA 
was statistically superior to placebo in managing ADHD symptoms, including      
symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity.                                      

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Ritalin LA was proven to be safe and well tolerated. In a placebo controlled,   
double-blind, parallel group study with 134 children, adverse events were       
reported in 25% of treated patients compared with 24% in the placebo group. The 
most commonly reported adverse events included anorexia, insomnia, sore throat, 
headache and vomiting. Overall discontinuation rates were 1.5% for Ritalin LA   
and 0% for placebo.                                                             

Ritalin LA is contraindicated in patients known to be hypersensitive to the drug
or to Ritalin, in patients with glaucoma, in patients with motor tics, and in   
patients with a family history or diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome. In addition,
Ritalin LA is contraindicated during treatment with monoamine oxidase inhibitors
and should not be taken until at least 14 days after discontinuation of a       
monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Ritalin LA should be given cautiously to patients  
with a history of drug dependence or alcoholism.                                

ADHD is a neurobiologic disorder that interferes with an individual's ability to
regulate activity level and behavior, and sustain focus in developmentally      
appropriate ways. It is the most studied childhood psychiatric disorder and is  
supported by a substantial body of scientific evidence. Scientific research     
indicates that ADHD may be related to disturbances in certain neurotransmitters 
in the brain. Novartis supports only the proper diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
Recognizing that no single treatment is perfect for everyone, Ritalin LA is     
recommended as part of a comprehensive treatment regimen including behavior     
modification and counseling.                                                    

Ritalin LA was developed by Elan's drug delivery division and will be supplied  
to Novartis under an exclusive worldwide royalty and manufacturing agreement    
between the companies. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation has                 
commercialization rights to Ritalin LA in the US                                

Ritalin LA joins the Novartis ADHD product portfolio, which includes Ritalin,   
Ritalin SR, and Focalin(TM) (dexmethylphenidate HCl). Celgene Corporation of    
Warren, New Jersey granted Novartis Pharma AG an exclusive worldwide (excluding 
Canada) license covering its intellectual property rights associated with       
Ritalin LA as well as Focalin. Pursuant to an agreement between Novartis Pharma 
AG and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals           
Corporation markets Focalin in the US                                           

The foregoing press release contains forward-looking statements that can be     
identified by forward-looking terminology such as, "new", "important advance",  
"to offer" or similar expressions. Such statements involve known and unknown    
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be  
materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements      
expressed or implied by such statements. In particular, management's expectation
regarding the commercialization of Ritalin LA could be affected by amongst other
things, results from future clinical trials, uncertainties relating to product  
development, regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally,   
the ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual      
property protection and competition in general, as well as factors discussed in 
the Company's Form 20F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should
one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying   
assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those      
described herein anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.                  

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation researches, develops, manufacturers and    
markets leading innovative prescription drugs used to treat a number of diseases
and conditions, including central nervous system disorders, organ               
transplantation, cardiovascular diseases, dermatological diseases, respiratory  
disorders, cancer and arthritis. The company's mission is to improve people's   
lives by pioneering novel healthcare solutions.                                 

                                                       Page 32 of 41 Total Pages

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Located in East Hanover, New Jersey, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an 
affiliate of Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS), a world leader in healthcare with core    
businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal  
health. In 2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 
19.1 billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group  
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com.                                                

Elan is a leading worldwide, fully integrated biopharmaceutical company         
headquartered in Ireland, with its principal research, development,             
manufacturing and marketing facilities located in Ireland and in the US Elan is 
focused on the marketing of therapeutic products and services in neurology, pain
management, infectious disease, dermatology, oncology and the development and   
commercialization of products using its extensive range of proprietary drug     
delivery technologies. Elan shares trade on the New York, London and Dublin     
Stock Exchanges. For further information, please feel free to visit the         
Company's Web site at http://www.elan.com.                                      

Celgene Corporation, headquartered in Warren, New Jersey, is an independent     
biopharmaceutical company engaged primarily in the discovery, development and   
commercialization of orally administered small molecule drugs for the treatment 
of cancer and inflammatory diseases through gene regulation. Please feel free to
visit the Company's Web site at http://www.celgene.com.                         

*SODAS(TM) is a trademark of Elan Corporation, plc.                             

 # # #

For complete prescribing information, please contact Gina Moran or Denise       
Brashear of Novartis Pharmaceuticals at ++1- 973-781-8300.                      

Contact:                                                                        
Regina Moran                                Denise Brashear                     
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation        Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
++1-973-781-5567                            ++1-973-781-7336                    
regina.moran@pharma.novartis.com            denise.brashear@pharma.novartis.com 

Robert Hugin                                Emer Reynolds                       
Celgene Corporation                         Elan Corporation, plc               
++1-732-271-4102                            ++1-353-1-709-4000                  
rhugin@celgene.com                          emer.reynolds@elan.com              

Jack Howarth                                                                    
Elan Corporation, plc                                                           
++1-212-407-5740                                                                
jack.howarth@elan.com                                                           

                                                       Page 33 of 41 Total Pages

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                             Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
                        One Health Plaza
                                   East Hanover, NJ 07936-1080
           USA

                              Tel    +1-973 781 8300
                         Internet Address:
                                         http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Novartis launches new educational ADHD web site                                 

"ADHDinfo.com" offers parents, school personnel and healthcare providers        
reliable information, resources and support about ADHD                          

East Hanover, NJ, 4 June 2002 - Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced  
today the availability of a new Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 
online resource designed to provide reliable educational information about ADHD 
to parents and healthcare professionals. The Web site, www.adhdinfo.com, was    
previewed at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) 155th Annual Meeting in 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May.                                              

"This valuable new resource provides families and healthcare professionals with 
practical information about approaches to ADHD management and serves as an      
important source for reliable information and support," said Timothy Wilens,    
M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School.                

ADHDinfo.com is divided into 4 primary sections:                                

o  Parents & Caregivers - provides information to help parents better     
    understand ADHD as well as tips and tools for helping children and teens
with ADHD cope in school and at home.                               
o  School Personnel - outlines special educational considerations for     
     children with ADHD and discusses ways teachers and other school personnel
can work with parents to help children and teens with the disorder. 
   o  Healthcare Providers - offers information about diagnosis and treatment of
      ADHD as well as resources to learn up-to-date scientific information, such
as symposia schedules and listings of related journal publications. 
o  S.T.A.R.T. Now - offers information about a new program called Straight
 Talk About Responsible Treatment (S.T.A.R.T.) Now. The S.T.A.R.T. Now
    program is designed to educate teens with ADHD, their parents and school
     officials about appropriate use of stimulant medications in the treatment
of ADHD.                                                            

"Education about ADHD plays a vital role in the overall comprehensive care of   
this disorder," said Larry Perlow, M.D., Senior Vice President and General      
Manager, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. "That's why Novartis has made    
available this online resource to health care providers and families touched by 
ADHD."                                                                          

                                                       Page 34 of 41 Total Pages

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ADHD is a neurobiologic disorder that interferes with an individual's ability to
regulate activity level and behavior, and sustain focus in developmentally      
appropriate ways. It is the most studied childhood psychiatric disorder and is  
supported by a substantial body of scientific evidence. Scientific research     
indicates that ADHD may be related to disturbances in certain neurotransmitters 
in the brain. Novartis supports only the proper diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.

The Novartis ADHD product portfolio includes Ritalin(R) (methylphenidate),      
Ritalin SR, and Focalin(TM) (dexmethylphenidate HCl), a refined formulation of  
Ritalin. Celgene Corporation (Nasdaq: CELG) of Warren, New Jersey, granted      
Novartis Pharma AG an exclusive worldwide (excluding Canada) license covering   
its intellectual property rights associated with Focalin as well as Ritalin LA, 
a once-daily form of Ritalin that is currently under review at the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). Pursuant to an agreement between Novartis Pharma AG and   
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation      
markets Focalin in the U.S.                                                     

In addition, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation received an approvable letter 
from the FDA for Ritalin LA in October 2001. Ritalin LA was developed by Elan   
Corporation, plc's drug delivery division and will be supplied to Novartis under
an exclusive worldwide royalty and manufacturing agreement between the          
companies. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation has commercialization rights to 
Ritalin LA in the U.S.                                                          

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation researches, develops, manufacturers and    
markets leading innovative prescription drugs used to treat a number of diseases
and conditions, including central nervous system disorders, organ               
transplantation, cardiovascular diseases, dermatological diseases, respiratory  
disorders, cancer and arthritis. The company's mission is to improve people's   
lives by pioneering novel healthcare solutions.                                 

Located in East Hanover, New Jersey, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an 
affiliate of Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS), a world leader in healthcare with core    
businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal  
health. In 2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 
19.1 billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group  
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information. For    
further information please consult http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com or         
http://www.novartis.com.                                                        

 # # #

Contact:                                                                        
Regina Moran                                Denise Brashear                     
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation        Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
973-781-5567                                973-781-7336                        
regina.moran@pharma.novartis.com            denise.brashear@pharma.novartis.com 

- OR -                                                                          
Julie Bane                                                                      
Feinstein Kean Healthcare                                                       
617-761-6762                                                                    
jbane@fkhealth.com                                                              

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                            Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation 
                      One Health Plaza
                                 East Hanover, NJ 07936-1080
         USA

                            Tel    +1-973 781 8300
                       Internet Address:
                                       http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Novartis introduces S.T.A.R.T. (Straight Talk About Responsible Treatment) Now  
program to educate about appropriate use of ADHD medications                    

For free educational brochures, people can call toll-free 1-888-NOW-NOVA        
or visit http://www.ADHDinfo.com                                                

East Hanover, NJ, 4 June 2002 - Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation today      
announced a new program designed to educate teens, parents and school officials 
about appropriate use of stimulant medications in the treatment of              
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The program, called Straight   
Talk About Responsible Treatment (S.T.A.R.T.) Now, launches with a brochure     
series and web site designed to help ensure that ADHD medications are only taken
as prescribed by qualified healthcare providers.                                

The S.T.A.R.T. Now program contains information for children who have been      
diagnosed with ADHD and who have been prescribed a stimulant medication as part 
of their treatment plan, their parents, and school personnel involved in        
administering medications at school. The brochures will be disseminated through 
the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and the content will be        
available on the Internet at http://www.adhdinfo.com, Novartis' online resource 
for ADHD information. People can also call toll-free 1-888-NOW-NOVA to request a
free copy of one or more of the brochures.                                      

"The S.T.A.R.T. Now program provides valuable information about how to use and  
store stimulant medications safely and correctly," said Judith Robinson,        
Executive Director, National Association of School Nurses. "It is extremely     
important to take steps towards ensuring appropriate use of any medication,     
especially those that are sometimes administered in school. That is why we're so
pleased to be a part of this initiative."                                       

S.T.A.R.T. Now was developed in consultation with the following organizations*: 
o    The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)                                  
o    The National Association of School Nurses (NASN)                           
o    The National Council for Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)         
o    The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)                                
o    The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)                             

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Stimulant medications are the most commonly prescribed treatment for ADHD and   
are successful in treating symptoms in up to 90% of patients. Research suggests 
that stimulants such as Ritalin enhance nerve-to-nerve communication in people  
with ADHD by blocking the reuptake of the neurotransmitters, thereby making more
neurotransmitters available to boost the "signal" between neurons.              

"As with all prescription medications, medications for ADHD must be taken only  
as prescribed and handled appropriately. In order for this to happen, people    
need to be equipped with easy-to-understand, reliable information about the     
medications they are taking," said Larry Perlow, M.D., Senior Vice President and
General Manager, Commercial Operations, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.   
"We are proud to offer S.T.A.R.T. Now and hope that in so doing, we're supplying
families with the information they need to get the best care possible."         

ADHD is a neurobiologic disorder that interferes with an individual's ability to
regulate activity level and behavior, and sustain focus in developmentally      
appropriate ways. It is the most studied childhood psychiatric disorder and is  
supported by a substantial body of scientific evidence. Scientific research     
indicates that ADHD may be related to disturbances in certain neurotransmitters 
in the brain. Novartis supports only the proper diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
The Novartis ADHD product portfolio includes Ritalin(R) (methylphenidate),      
Ritalin SR, and Focalin(TM) (dexmethylpenidate HCl). Celgene Corporation        
(Nasdaq: CELG) of Warren, New Jersey granted Novartis Pharma AG an exclusive    
worldwide (excluding Canada) license covering its intellectual property rights  
associated Focalin as well as Ritalin LA, a once-daily form of Ritalin that is  
currently under review at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Pursuant to an
agreement between Novartis Pharma AG and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation,  
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation markets Focalin in the U.S.                

In addition, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation received an approvable letter 
from the FDA for Ritalin LA in October 2001. Ritalin LA was developed by Elan   
Corporation plc's drug delivery division and will be supplied to Novartis under 
an exclusive worldwide royalty and manufacturing agreement between the          
companies. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation has commercialization rights to 
Ritalin LA in the U.S.                                                          

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation researches, develops, manufacturers and    
markets leading innovative prescription drugs used to treat a number of diseases
and conditions, including central nervous system disorders, organ               
transplantation, cardiovascular diseases, dermatological diseases, respiratory  
disorders, cancer and arthritis. The company's mission is to improve people's   
lives by pioneering novel healthcare solutions.                                 

In keeping with this mission, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation has a long   
history of supporting education and mental health programs from organizations   
such as the National Council on Patient Information and Education; the National 
Alliance for the Mentally Ill; Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/      
Hyperactivity Disorder; and the Lab School of Washington. In an effort to       
continue to provide innovative solutions to patient information and education,  
the company has recently partnered with Oscar-winning producer Ann Michaels in  
the production of Listen to the Children, a documentary film focused on         
children's mental health within the United States.                              

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Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS), a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in   
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72 600 people and  
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com or http://www.novartis.com.           

NASN is a specialty nursing association dedicated to improving the health and   
educational success of children and youth by developing and providing leadership
to advance school nurse practice and by establishing quality standards that     
conform to clinical nursing practice standards. With more than 11,000 members,  
50 affiliates nationwide and one overseas affiliate; NASN is committed to       
providing high quality education and resources to keep school nurses informed of
the latest trends in school nursing practice. Furthermore, NASN benefits school 
nurses by speaking as one voice nationally; by increasing the visibility of     
school nursing; by advocating for minimum levels of preparation; by advocating  
for manageable nurse to student ratios; and by providing a forum for discussion 
of school health issues.                                                        

 *These organizations do not endorse any particular products or companies.

 # # #
Contact:                                                                        
Regina Moran                                Denise Brashear                     
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation        Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
973-781-5567                                973-781-7336                        
regina.moran@pharma.novartis.com            denise.brashear@pharma.novartis.com 

- OR -                                                                          

Julie Bane                                                                      
Feinstein Kean Healthcare                                                       
617-761-6762                                                                    
jbane@fkhealth.com                                                              

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[NOVARTIS LOGO]                                      Novartis International AG  
                                                 Novartis Communications
                                       CH-4002 Basel
                                     Switzerland

                                             Tel +41 61 324 2200
                                              Fax + 41 61 324 3300
                                           Internet Address:
                                                 http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Novartis awarded 2002 international Galien Prize for innovative cancer therapy, 
Glivec(R)                                                                       

After obtaining the national Galien Prize 2002 in six countries, Glivec has now 
received a supreme award on an international level                              

Basel, 3 June 2002 - For the first time, Novartis has been awarded the          
prestigious international Galien Prize for therapeutic innovation. It was       
awarded to the innovative drug, Glivec(R) (imatinib)*, a molecularly-targeted   
treatment for certain forms of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in cancer         
patients. Glivec, a signal transduction inhibitor, is one of the first cancer   
drugs to be developed using rational drug design, based on an understanding of  
how some cancer cells work. In the past two years, Novartis research was        
honoured nine** times with Galien Prizes for therapeutic innovation.            

According to Dr. Daniel Vasella, Chairman and CEO of Novartis AG, "This         
prestigious award is a testament to the success of our research and development 
efforts and the tremendous medical and scientific potential of Glivec. We are   
pleased that eminent professors from all the partner countries of the Galien    
Prize have recognised once again this drug which has opened new horizons in     
oncology."                                                                      

This award follows on the heels of additional encouraging research results      
presented at the 2002 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in   
Orlando, Florida, USA and the approval of the European Commission for the       
treatment of patients with Kit (CD 117) positive unresectable (inoperable)      
and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).            

The international Galien Prize is awarded every two years. The award recognises 
innovative therapeutic drugs that have made a substantial improvement in        
therapy. Drugs that have already won a prize on a national level compete for the
international prize. This year, Glivec was awarded with the national Galien     
Prize in Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Portugal. The     
deliberation meeting for the international Galien Prize was held in Madrid,     
under the aegis of the press group MediMedia Spain. The international jury      
brought together 13 renowned scientists who represented the national juries. The
prize will be awarded in Madrid on 17 October 2002.                             

Since 1970, Novartis has received 12 national Prix Galien in six countries for  
the innovative therapies Rimactan(R), Parlodel(R), Sandimmune(R),               
Sandostatin(R), Simulect(R), Visudyne(R) and recently Glivec(R). Further,       
research into Glivec has garnered additional prizes including the Bruce F. Cain 
Award from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) on April 9 2002  
and the                                                                         

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Warren Alpert Foundation Scientific Prize, awarded by Harvard Medical School on 
May 2 2002. Both prizes were awarded for the discovery and the preclinical work 
on Glivec.                                                                      

Glivec                                                                          
Glivec targets the activity of a type of enzyme, called tyrosine kinases, which 
play an important role within certain cancer cells. It works by inhibiting the  
Philadelphia chromosome, the abnormality that characterises CML in most         
patients. Additionally, the activity of one of the tyrosine kinases that Glivec 
has been shown to inhibit, known as c-kit, is thought to drive the growth and   
division of most gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). For patients with     
metastatic or unresectable (inoperable) disease, GISTs represent an incurable   
malignancy with a median survival of approximately one year. Until now, surgery 
has been the only effective treatment option for most GISTs, resulting          
essentially in palliation of the disease.                                       

Glivec was approved in the EU on 7 November 2001 for its initial treatment of   
Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML in chronic phase after failure of          
interferon-alpha therapy, or in accelerated phase or blast crisis. To date,     
Novartis has received marketing clearance for Glivec for the CML indication     
worldwide. The recent approval in GIST marks the second approval for Glivec     
within seven months in the EU.                                                  

Contraindications and adverse events                                            
The majority of CML-patients treated with Glivec experience adverse events at   
some time. Most events were of mild to moderate grade and treatment was         
discontinued for adverse events only in 2% of patients in chronic phase, 3% in  
accelerated phase and 5% in blast crisis. The most common side effects included 
nausea, fluid retention, vomiting, diarrhoea, haemorrhage, muscle cramps, skin  
rash, fatigue, headache, dyspepsia and dyspnoea, as well as neutropenia and     
thrombocytopenia.                                                               

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1       
billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group       
invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered  
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72, 600 people and 
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please  
consult http://www.novartis.com.                                                

 # # #

Additional information can be found at www.novartisoncologyvpo.com and at       
www.novartisoncology.com                                                        

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the        
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the        
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.                                         

             Novartis AG

Date:    July 2, 2002                            By:  /s/ MALCOLM B. CHEETHAM   
                                                     ---------------------------

                             Name:   Malcolm B. Cheetham
                              Title:  Head Group Financial
                                          Reporting and Accounting

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Dates Referenced Herein and Documents Incorporated By Reference

		Referenced-On Page
This 6-K Filing	Date	First	Last	Other Filings

	5/3/01	7
	6/26/02	7	11	6-K
For The Period Ended	6/30/02
Filed On / Filed As Of	7/2/02	41

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Novartis AG · 6-K · For 6/30/02

Filed On 7/2/02 1:15pm ET · SEC File 1-15024 · Accession Number 947871-2-1296

Report of a Foreign Private Issuer · Form 6-KFiling Table of Contents

6-K · Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Dates Referenced Herein and Documents Incorporated By Reference

Report of a Foreign Private Issuer · Form 6-K
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