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Novartis AG – ‘6-K’ for 10/31/01

On: Wednesday, 11/7/01 · For: 10/31/01 · Accession #: 947871-1-500965 · File #: 1-15024

  As Of                Filer                Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size              Issuer               Agent

11/07/01  Novartis AG                       6-K        10/31/01    2:475K                                   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 a Foreign Private Issuer --                 56    186K 
                          form6k_110601                                          
 2: 6-K         Unofficial Form 6-K -- form6k_110601                 PDF    249K

6-K — Report of a Foreign Private Issuer — form6k_110601

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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 October 2001

 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.      Novartis' irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment Zelmac(R)approved in 
Switzerland (30 October 2001)                                   

2.      Novartis' R&D day spotlights pipeline and commercial assets to drive    
sustained growth (30 October 2001)                              

3.      European marketing authorisation application submitted for Myfortic(TM)-
     an enteric-coated adjunctive immunosuppressant in transplantation (26
October 2001)                                                   

4.      Study results suggest Dexmethylphenidate HCL is an effective treatment  
for ADHD (26 October 2001)                                      

                                                      Page 1 of  56  Total Pages

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5.      Novartis receives FDA approvable letter for Diovan(R)(valsartan) for the
  treatment of heart failure in patients not on an ACE inhibitor (25
October 2001)                                                   

6.      Novartis: R&D Day 2001 (25 October 2001)                                

7.      New data further underlines the safety and efficacy of Zelmac(R)        
     (tegaserod) in treating multiple symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
(IBS) (24 October 2001)                                         

8.      Atopic triad increasingly affects children (23 October 2001)            

9.      FDA grants priority review for Zometa(R)in the treatment of a serious   
cancer complication (23 October 2001)                           

10.     Novartis and Cytos sign research and license option agreements to       
       develop a new class of therapies for chronic diseases (23 October 2001)

11.     New data on Novartis drug Zometa(R)for treatment of breast cancer and   
      multiple myeloma-related bone complications published in major medical
journal (22 October 2001)                                       

12.     Novartis submits supplemental NDA with US FDA for Glivec(R)for treatment
of certain GI tumors (19 October 2001)                          

13.     Visudyne(TM)therapy reimbursement in US expanded to include patients    
    with occult form of wet age-related macular degeneration (19 October
2001)                                                           

14.     Laboratory results confirm Novartis employee did not contact anthrax (17
October 2001)                                                   

15.     Novartis says it will not increase prices of reimbursable medicines in  
Switzerland for the next two years (17 October 2001)            

16.     Suspicious letter received at Novartis (17 October 2001)                

17.     FDA Advisory Committee issues split decision on recommendation to       
     approve Diovan(R)(valsartan) for heart failure indication (12 October
2001)                                                           

18.     FDA approves Focus(R)Night & Day(TM)contact lenses in the US for        
    extended wear for up to thirty nights of continuous wear (12 October
2001)                                                           

19.     New non-steroid cream Elidel(R)offers relief to babies suffering from   
eczema (12 October 2001)                                        

20.     Novartis: Invitation to the R&D Day 2001 (11 October 2001)              

21.     New data shows underdiagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) burdens 
patients and healthcare systems worldwide (10 October 2001)     

22.     Pre-Announcement: 2001 nine-month and third-quarter sales (5 October    
2001)                                                           

23.     Invitation for Telephone Conference (5 October 2001)                    

                                                        Page 2 of 56 Total Pages

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                        Investor Relations       Novartis International AG
                                     CH-4002 Basel
                                   Switzerland
                                                Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                      Tel +41 61 324 8433        
                                      Nafida Bendali
                                           Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                          Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                            Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                            Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                         Internet Address:
                                               http://www.novartis.com

- Investor Relations Release -

Novartis' irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment Zelmac(R)approved in         
Switzerland                                                                     

Basel, Switzerland, 30 October 2001 - Novartis announced today that the Swiss   
Health Authority, the Intercantonal Office for the Control of Medecines (IKS),  
has granted marketing approval for Zelmac(R) (tegaserod). Zemac is the first    
medication clinically proven to provide a symptomatic treatment for women with  
abdominal pain and constipation associated with irritable bowel syndrom (IBS).  
Zelmac will be available is Switzerland within the next few days.               

A number of other countries follow the approval of the IKS including several    
Asia Pacific and Latin American countries, where the drug will soon be launched.
Zelmac was recently launched in the Czech Republic, Mexico, Venezuela and       
Columbia and has gained approvals elsewhere. Novartis is working with the USA   
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Agency for the Evaluation of   
Medicinal Products (EMEA) and other regulatory authorities in order to help     
bring the benefits of this important new therapy to patients in need.           

"The approval of Zelmac in Switzerland is a crucial step in our ongoing efforts 
to launch Zelmac globally. As we continue to negotiate with other regulatory    
bodies, we will leverage this approval as evidence of the safety and efficacy of
Zelmac for IBS patients." said Thomas Ebeling, CEO, Novartis Pharma AG.         

Until now, there was no single effective therapy available in Switzerland to    
treat multiple symptoms of IBS, a chronic, life-altering disorder that can have 
a significant impact on daily functioning and overall well-being.               

In clinical trials involving more than 4,500 patients, two-thirds of patients   
treated with Zelmac experienced overall symptom relief, including improvements  
in abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating and constipation1 The majority had relief
within one week.2 The drug was well tolerated with an adverse event profile     
similar to that of placebo, with the exception of headache and diarrhea, which  
in most cases was mild and transient.3,4 Discontinuations based on adverse      
events were 6.4 % for the Zelmac treated group compared with 4.6 % for the      
placebo group in the final trial.1                                              

The foregoing press release contains certain forward-looking statements related 
to the business of Novartis, which can be identified by the use of              
forward-looking terminology such as "to relieve", "will soon be", "is working", 
"help bring the benefits", "ongoing", "continue" 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,                                                                 

                                                        Page 3 of 56 Total Pages

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performance or achievements expressed or implied by suchstatements.             
Management's expectation regarding the commercial potential of                  
tegaserod 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 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     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com       

References:                                                                     
1.      Mueller-Lissner S, et al. Tegaserod, a 5-HT4 partial agonist, relieves  
  symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome patients with abdominal pain,
   bloating and constipation.  Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2001;16:1655-66.
2.      Integrated summary of efficacy. January 2000. Novartis, data on file.   
3.      Lefkowitz M, et al. Tegaserod provides relief of symptoms in female     
     patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) suffering from abdominal
pain and discomfort, bloating and constipation. (Abstr).        
Gastroenterology 2001;120:A104.                                 
4.      Integrated summary of safety. December 2000. Novartis data on file.     

                                                        Page 4 of 56 Total Pages

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                            Investor Relations       Novartis International AG
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland
                                                    Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                         Tel +41 61 324 8433       
                                          Nafida Bendali
                                               Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                              Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                                Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

- Investor Relations Release -

Novartis' R&D day spotlights pipeline and commercial assets to drive sustained  
growth                                                                          

o       R&D and commercial portfolio focused on eight attractive markets in     
Primary Care, Transplantation, Oncology, and Ophthalmics        

o       Broad innovative platform of 69 projects in clinical development        

o       Strong launch pipeline for 2002-4                                       

Basel / New York, 30 October 2001 - Novartis is to unveil further details of its
continuing growth strategy with a review of its Pharmaceutical Research and     
Development portfolio for representatives of the investor and financial         
communities and the media in New York today. The event and press briefing will  
be webcast starting at 1.30 p.m. CET (7.30 a.m., New York time)                 
(http://www.novartis.com).                                                      

The solid double-digit increase in Pharmaceutical sales in the first nine months
of this year was driven by strong performances in the cardiovascular and        
oncology businesses and in the key US market. With 15 approvals and 11          
submissions in the US, EU and Japan, successfully launched new products like    
Gleevec/Glivec and Zometa, and a substantial launch pipeline for 2002-2004,     
Novartis has a solid platform for sustained growth.                             

The pipeline has been augmented with a number of new projects, several of which 
have been licensed in, replacing six projects that have now been launched and   
seven that Novartis is no longer pursuing. With a total of 69 pipeline projects 
the company plans a substantial number of launches or roll-outs by the end of   
2005.                                                                           

Daniel Vasella, Chairman and CEO, pointed out that: "Our strategy of            
concentrating on healthcare with the core business of Pharmaceuticals has       
delivered concrete results. The dynamic performance in Pharmaceuticals has been 
driven by the competitive growth of our priority products and the expansion of  
the key US market. We will consistently pursue our growth strategy by investing 
further in our pipeline and commercial assets."                                 

                                                        Page 5 of 56 Total Pages

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Highlights of top projects in attractive areas                                  

Primary Care                                                                    

Cardiovascular                                                                  

All product names in italics are registered trademarks of Novartis AG           

Diovan: Novartis' strategy to exploit the full potential of its blockbuster     
antihypertensive is expressed in the mega-trial program to further support      
existing and new indications. The program includes some 43 000 patients and five
major trials investigating areas of high medical need: long-term use (VALUE),   
heart failure (Val-HeFT), acute myocardial infarction (VALIANT), blood pressure 
control in diabetes (ABCD2V), and impaired glucose tolerance outcomes           
(NAVIGATOR).                                                                    

In addition, new formulations to increase treatment flexibility include a 320-mg
dose and new Co-Diovan ranges.                                                  

On the basis of the ValHeft study, Diovan has been filed for the indication of  
heart failure in major markets and recently received an approvable letter from  
the FDA for use in patients not on ACE inhibitors. US approval is contingent    
upon further analysis of existing data or possibly the provision of additional  
data.                                                                           

SPP100: Novartis holds a call-back option for this renin inhibitor, which was   
outlicensed to Speedel, a company that was supported by the Novartis Venture    
Fund. Currently in Phase II, SPP100 could show potential for treating several   
conditions in cardiovascular disease. With Phase III due to start towards the   
end of 2002, initial filings in hypertension and renal protection are           
anticipated for 2004 and 2005 respectively.                                     

Diabetes                                                                        

LAF237, a dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP IV) inhibitor, represents a new          
generation of oral treatments for diabetes. In studies conducted to date, DPP IV
inhibitors have shown a promising effect on fasting glucose and HBA1C, in       
addition to lowering prandial glucose. LAF237 is in Phase II and further studies
will clarify the potential protective effect on pancreatic beta-cells, which    
deteriorate in diabetes.                                                        

Schizophrenia                                                                   

Iloperidone, currently in Phase III of clinical development, is poised to enter 
a market where current therapies are associated with significant side effects   
that often lead to medication switches. Data so far suggest a favorable adverse 
event profile during long-term treatment. Additional studies are being initiated
to strengthen the product's competitive profile and to satisfy a regulatory     
requirement for two positive pivotal studies. Initial filings are planned for   
2003. A depot formulation for improved compliance and convenience is also in    
development.                                                                    

Osteoporosis                                                                    

Zometa, in addition to its use in oncology, is about to enter Phase III of      
development for Paget's disease and osteoporosis, where it has shown an increase
in bone mineral density over one year after a single injection.                 

                                                        Page 6 of 56 Total Pages

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Transplantation                                                                 

Two new transplant drugs are slated for launch by 2003, Myfortic and Certican.  

Myfortic could potentially be a therapeutic improvement over the pro-drug       
mycophenolate mofetil because it appears to offer faster and more sustained     
active drug exposure to a greater number of patients. It has just been filed in 
Europe and submission for approval in the US is anticipated early in 2002.      

Certican has recently delivered positive results in heart transplant trials.    
These are to be added to kidney transplant data as a combined application for   
approval expected to be filed in the second half of 2002.                       

FTY720, a novel concept in selective immunosuppression, is being evaluated for  
prevention of acute rejection and graft loss in kidney transplant patients. The 
drug has been shown to protect the transplant against T-cells without changing  
the host's ability to respond to antigens. Currently in Phase II, FTY720 has    
shown very low acute rejection rates.                                           

Pain relief / inflammation                                                      

COX189 is a new anti-inflammatory and pain-relief drug in Phase III of an       
extensive clinical development program. Trials have investigated its potential  
benefits in osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis and pain. Initial data suggesting   
potential safety benefits, such as a low incidence of gastrointestinal and      
cardiovascular side effects, are to be further investigated in a large clinical 
trial program involving more than 18 000 patients anticipated to begin in       
December. Initial filing is planned for the end of 2002.                        

Dementia                                                                        

Exelon: New trials are underway to evaluate Exelon in vascular dementia         
(VantagE) and in dementia in Parkinson's Disease. In addition, Exelon is being  
compared in a head-to-head trial (Exceed) against donepezil.                    

Oncology                                                                        

Pilot studies are underway to explore the potential efficacy of Gleevec/Glivec  
beyond chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs),    
both in mono- and combination therapy. In the different tumor types being       
investigated, the biological relevance of the target is key. Results in         
small-cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, and glioma are expected in 2002.       

PTK787, an angiogenesis inhibitor, blocks blood vessels that supply tumors. The 
compound is a co-development, co-marketing project with Schering AG. With Phase 
II in progress, the drug is expected to become available around 2005. PTK787    
could be the first oral drug of its kind to reach the market.                   

EPO906 exerts its anti-tumor activity by inhibiting microtubule depolymerization
in cancer cells. Early results in several solid tumors have been promising and, 
with Phase II trials underway, the compound is estimated to become available    
around 2005.                                                                    

                                                        Page 7 of 56 Total Pages

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Discovery in the post genomic era                                               

The mapping of the human genome has vastly increased the number of potential    
targets for drug interaction from 500 to more than 10 000. Novartis has         
reorganized its research efforts to further enhance productivity and increase   
the flow of new compounds entering development; in 2000, the number of new      
substances funneled into development was 20% greater than the median of the top 
ten pharmaceutical companies.                                                   

Advances in genomics may also provide an opportunity to segment patient         
populations more carefully, leading to preventative medicines and associated    
prolonged treatment timeframes. On the other hand, a single target can also act 
across a variety of diseases and new technologies could help recognize common   
pathways between different illnesses.                                           

In the context of these changes, the discovery process has moved from being a   
sequential to a parallel one. Key activities have become 'industrialized',      
enhancing both speed and efficiency. At the same time, a multiparallel approach 
has allowed target validation at every stage.                                   

Novartis is establishing new units, including the Drug Discovery Centre, focused
on specific gene and protein families and searching for 'drugable' targets that 
provide the potential for therapeutic intervention. The integration of the      
Novartis Functional Genomics and Disease network is intended to lead to more    
causal preventative, safer therapies and new kinds of treatments based on common
biological mechanisms that cause diverse disease symptoms.                      

Licensing agreement update                                                      

Novartis has decided not to execute its option for collaboration with Novo      
Nordisk on their insulin sensitizer NN622. Worldwide exclusive rights to develop
and commercialize another insulin sensitizer, DRF4158, were obtained in May from
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd.                                                   

Novartis Ophthalmics has expanded its alliance with QLT Inc. to co-develop      
photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (Visudyne) in the treatment of skin cancer
and other dermatological conditions. The Phase III program is expected to begin 
in early 2002.                                                                  

European rights to pitavastatin, currently in clinical Phase II development for 
the regulation of dyslipidemia, were acquired in April. New results of trials   
conducted by Sankyo have indicated muscle side-effects at very high doses,      
prompting the initiation of additional dose-finding studies.                    

Regulatory update                                                               

Novartis reported a number of achievements in this area including the reduction 
of the average development time from 12 years in 1995-7 to the current eight and
a half years. Despite an increasingly conservative regulatory climate, Novartis 
has achieved eight approvals in the US since January 2000 (Trileptal, Visudyne, 
Exelon, Rescula, Starlix, Foradil, Glivec/Gleevec and Zometa).                  

Zelmac/Zelnorm: Following the FDA's non-approvable decision for Zelmac/Zelnorm, 
a new treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, Novartis appealed the FDA decision
and has submitted an expert assessment produced by three separate working       
parties of 22 independent experts, who addressed the drug's safety and efficacy 
in Phase III studies. The numerical imbalance in cholecystectomies between the  
Zelmac/Zelnorm and placebo groups was no longer present in their re-analysis and
there was no evidence to link the drug with an increased risk of                
cholecystectomy. Discussions with the FDA are ongoing.                          

                                                        Page 8 of 56 Total Pages

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With regard to the regulatory status in the EU, scientific advice is expected   
from the EMEA by mid-November and new clinical trials are to be started in early
2002. The Swiss regulatory authorities have just given marketing approval for   
Zelmac. More than 70 other countries usually follow this approval. Zelmac has   
met with a high level of satisfaction in its first market Mexico, where more    
than 80% of patients surveyed were satisfied or extremely satisfied. An advanced
development program is planned for exploring the efficacy in new indications,   
including chronic constipation, functional dyspepsia and gastro-esophageal      
reflux disease.                                                                 

Xolair: Discussions are also being held with the FDA regarding the resubmission 
of Xolair, a novel treatment in development for asthma and allergic, either at  
the end of 2002 or in 2003 depending on the FDA's request for new data. In      
Europe, next steps include a focus on treating 'at-risk patients' with the      
initiation of studies in this population. New trials are to be started by early 
2002. Xolair is a monoclonal antibody to IgE in development by Novartis Pharma  
AG, Genentech Inc and Tanox Inc.                                                

Elidel, the novel non-steroidal treatment for atopic dermatitis (eczema), is    
undergoing regulatory review. Studies have reported safe and effective long-term
control and, importantly, prevention of flares. These and other distinct        
advantages over conventional treatments should position Elidel favorably in a   
market with major unmet needs (42 million patients). Initial launch is expected 
by mid 2002. Further projects include ointment and oral formulations of Elidel. 

Zometa has been filed in the US and EU for bone-related cancer complications    
across a broad range of tumor types.                                            

Gleevec/Glivec received a positive opinion from the Committee for Proprietary   
Medicinal Products in Europe for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Approvals both in   
the EU and Japan are anticipated this quarter, which would make this one of the 
first drugs to gain registration in all three major markets in the same year. A 
supplementary new drug application has been filed in the US for the treatment of
patients with unresectable (inoperable) and/or metastatic malignant GISTs.      

                                                        Page 9 of 56 Total Pages

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Planned Launches 2001 - 2005                                                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2001            2002            2003            2004            2005            

[OBJECT OMITTED]                                                                

Major new pipeline projects                                                     

Cardiovascular, metabolism, endocrine                                           
LAG078                    dyslipidemia                                          
NKS104                    dyslipidemia                                          
Starlix                   combination with metformin, and 'Navigator' trial     
Lotrel                    10-40 mg, and 10-20 mg                                

Arthritis/bone                                                                  
AAE581                    osteoporosis                                          
Miacalcic                 oral formulation                                      
Zoledronic acid           rheumatoid arthritis                                  

Nervous system                                                                  
TKA731                    chronic pain                                          
SRA997                    cognitive disorders                                   
Exelon                    vascular dementia and Parkinson's dementia            

Oncology                                                                        
LAQ824                    cancer                                                
Zometa                    bone metastasis prevention                            
RAD001                    cancer                                                

                                                       Page 10 of 56 Total Pages

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Ophthalmics                                                                     
PKC412                    diabetic macular edema                                
Visudyne                  minimal classic AMD, occult AMD, and AMD in Japan     

This press release contains certain "forward-looking Statements", relating to   
the Company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking   
terminology such as "intended", "contingent", "potential", "promising",         
"indicate", "poised", "is/are expected to", "will", "planned", "should",        
"shown", "could be", or "anticipated" or similar expressions, or by discussions 
of strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements include descriptions of the   
Company's investment in research and development programs and anticipated       
expenditures in connection therewith, descriptions of new products expected to  
be introduced by the Company and anticipated customer demand for such products  
and products in the Company's existing portfolio. Such statements reflect the   
current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to   
certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the      
actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially     
different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be     
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors can be   
found in the Company's Form 20F filed with the Securities and Exchange          
Commission and include, among other things, unexpected regulatory delays,       
uncertainties relating to clinical trials and product development, the          
introduction of competing products, increased government pricing pressures, and 
the Company's ability to obtain or maintain patent and other proprietary        
intellectual property protection. 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     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com       

 # # #

VIRTUAL PRESS BRIEFING: 30 October 2001, 07.30 EST (13.30 CET)                  

Short highlight presentations will be given for journalists via the internet at 
http://www.novartis.com or by direct telephone call in:                         

Europe/RoW:       +41 91 610 41 35                                              
US:               (412) 380 74 00                                               

At the end of the presentations there will be a short Q&A session.              

Presentation slides can be downloaded in advance from the virtual press kit on  
the media pages at http://www.novartis.com                                      

Further information from the Novartis Corporate Press Office: +41 61 324 22 00  

                                                       Page 11 of 56 Total Pages

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                            Investor Relations       Novartis International AG
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland
                                                    Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                         Tel +41 61 324 8433       
                                          Nafida Bendali
                                               Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                              Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                                Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

- INVESTOR RLEATIONS RELEASE -

European marketing authorisation application submitted for MyforticTM - an      
enteric-coated adjunctive immunosuppressant in transplantation                  

Basel, 26 October 2001 - Novartis Pharma AG yesterday submitted a marketing     
authorisation application in Europe for registration of MyforticTM - the        
enteric-coated formulation of mycophenolate acid - through the mutual           
recognition procedure (MRP). The application seeks an indication for Myfortic   
for the prevention of acute rejection in renal transplant patients in           
combination with Neoral(R) (ciclosporin microemulsion) and corticosteroids.     

The data package submitted includes results from a total of 11 clinical trials  
involving 877 renal transplant patients receiving Neoral-based immunosuppressive
therapy.                                                                        

Tony Rosenberg, Global Head of the Transplantation Business Unit at Novartis    
Pharma AG commented: "Balancing the effectiveness of immunosuppression with     
patients' safety to optimise transplantation outcomes is our key goal. In this  
regard Myfortic is an important new development, allowing more patients to      
benefit from the full potency of mycophenolate with excellent tolerability.     
Myfortic will further strengthen the already impressive transplantation         
portfolio of Novartis, the foundation of which is of course Neoral, in addition 
to giving customers a new and effective choice for adjunctive                   
immunosuppression."                                                             

Myfortic is an antimetabolite designed as a chronic adjunctive immunosuppressive
treatment for renal transplant patients. The enteric coating of Myfortic allows 
direct delivery and absorption of mycophenolate in the small intestine but not  
in the stomach. A well-controlled clinical trial has shown that significantly   
more patients on Myfortic reached therapeutic mycophenolate exposure above 30   
mgh*/l* compared to the existing formulation of mycophenolate, both in the early
phase after transplantation and at six months.2                                 

This pharmacokinetic benefit was achieved with no compromise on patient safety  
compared to existing mycophenolate therapy, suggesting that enteric-coated      
Myfortic has the potential to offer improved gastro-intestinal tolerability     
relative to drug exposure.                                                      

---------------------                                                           
* Patients below an exposure of 30 mg*h/l are at increased risk for acute       
rejection episodes 1                                                            

                                                       Page 12 of 56 Total Pages

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This release contains certain "forward-looking statements," relating to the     
Company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking       
terminology such as "will strengthen", "will give", or similar expressions, or  
by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements include        
descriptions of Novartis' transplantation products either on the market or      
expected to be introduced by the Company (including Neoral). Such statements    
reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are  
subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could     
cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be      
materially different from any future results, performances or achievements that 
may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these   
are uncertainties relating to the development and market penetration of products
competing with Neoral, 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     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.      

 # # #

References                                                                      
1.      Shaw L. et al. (2001):  Current Issues in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of
      Mycophenolic Acid: Report of a Roundtable Discussion; Therapeutic Drug
Monitoring 23: 305-315                                          
2.      Schmouder R et al. Presented at the `2001 A Transplant  Odyssey:  The   
    Future Is Here' Transplantation Congress; Aug 20-23, 2001: Istanbul,
Turkey.  Abstract #1210                                         

                                                       Page 13 of 56 Total Pages

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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 -                                                                          

Todd Ringler                                                                    
Feinstein Kean Healthcare                                                       
617-761-6791                                                                    
tringler@fkhealth.com                                                           

STUDY RESULTS SUGGEST DEXMETHYLPHENIDATE HCL IS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR ADHD 

Dexmethylphenidate HCl is currently under review with the U.S.                  
Food and Drug Administration                                                    

East Hanover, NJ, October 26, 2001 - New data presented today at the 48th Annual
Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)      
suggest that dexmethylphenidate HCl is effective in the management of the       
symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at half the dose of 
Ritalin (d,l methylphenidate HCl). Dexmethylphenidate HCl contains only the     
predominantly active isomer. Results from a double-blind, randomized,           
placebo-controlled study found that dexmethylphenidate HCl was effective in     
reducing ADHD symptoms in home and school settings. Keith Conners, Ph.D.,       
Professor of Medical Psychology, Duke University Medical Center and lead author 
of the study presented the findings from this pivotal trial.                    

"Findings from this study support previous research suggesting that the d isomer
of Ritalin, which contains both the d and l isomers of methylphenidate, is      
primarily responsible for its clinical effect," said Dr. Conners. "The results  
presented today signify that dexmethylphenidate HCl, which contains only the    
active d isomer, is a safe and effective treatment for ADHD at half the dose of 
Ritalin."                                                                       

One hundred and thirty-two ADHD patients aged 6-17 were randomized to receive   
dexmethylphenidate HCl, d,l methylphenidate HCl or placebo. Efficacy was        
evaluated using the SNAP-ADHD rating scale (Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham rating   
scale), a standard behavioral assessment tool used in clinical trials. In this  
analysis, the primary outcome was measured by the change from baseline in       
teacher SNAP-ADHD scale scores at the conclusion of the 4-week study compared to
placebo.                                                                        

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Findings of this pivotal trial suggest that dexmethylphenidate HCl is           
significantly more effective than placebo in lowering scores on the teacher     
SNAP-ADHD and the parent SNAP-ADHD, signifying an improvement in the clinical   
status of children with ADHD. Results further suggest that dexmethylphenidate   
HCl treats ADHD symptoms with efficacy and safety similar to Ritalin at half the
dose.                                                                           

The study also demonstrated that dexmethylphenidate HCl was safe and well       
tolerated. There were no serious adverse events reported during the trial, and  
the adverse events associated with dexmethylphenidate HCl were consistent with  
the known effects Ritalin and other methylphenidate agents.                     

Novartis licensed the worldwide (excluding Canada) marketing rights to          
dexmethylphenidate HCl from Celgene Corporation (Nasdaq: CELG) of Warren, New   
Jersey. Celgene submitted a new drug application (NDA) for dexmethylphenidate   
HCl to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2000 and recently 
received an approvable letter from the FDA. Upon approval, dexmethylphenidate   
HCl will join the Novartis ADHD product portfolio, which includes Ritalin and   
Ritalin SR (methylphenidate HCl sustained-release tablets). Novartis also has an
NDA pending with the FDA for Ritalin LA (methylphenidate HCl extended-release   
capsules), designed to be a once-daily formulation of Ritalin. Ritalin LA will  
be manufactured for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation by Elan Corporation,   
plc. (NYSE: ELN) using SODAS(R) technology*, a proprietary drug delivery        
technology of Elan Corporation, plc. This formulation of Ritalin was developed  
by Elan Pharmaceutical Technologies, the drug delivery division of Elan         
Corporation, plc., and was licensed to Novartis. Celgene Corporation also holds 
a patent on the polymer used in the manufacturing of Ritalin LA.                

ADHD is a neurobiologic disorder that interferes with an individual's ability to
regulate activity level and behavior and sustain focus on tasks in              
developmentally appropriate ways. Scientific research indicates that ADHD may be
related to disturbances in certain neurotransmitters in the brain. ADHD is the  
most common childhood psychiatric disorder. It has been well studied for more   
than 40 years and is supported by a substantial body of scientific evidence.    

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation researches, develops, manufactures 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.                                 

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

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com       

The foregoing press release contains forward-looking statements that can be     
identified by forward-looking terminology such as "will", "may be", "potential",
"suggest", "signify", "is designed to", or similar expressions. Such forward    
looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other     
factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from any   

                                                       Page 15 of 56 Total Pages

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future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such       
statements. In particular, management's expectation regarding the               
commercialization of dexmethylphenidate could be affected by amongst other      
things, 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 anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.                  

# # #                                       

                                                       Page 16 of 56 Total Pages

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                            Investor Relations       Novartis International AG
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland
                                                    Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                         Tel +41 61 324 8433       
                                          Nafida Bendali
                                               Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                              Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                                Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

- Investor Relations Release -

Novartis receives FDA approvable letter for Diovan(R) (valsartan) for the       
treatment of heart failure in patients not on an ACE inhibitor                  

East Hanover, New Jersey / Basel, Switzerland, 25 October 2001 - Novartis       
announced today that it has received an "approvable" letter from the US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) for Diovan(R) (valsartan) for the treatment of heart  
failure in patients not on an ACE inhibitor. Final approval is contingent on    
further analysis of existing data or possibly the submission of additional data.

Diovan, a highly selective angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) marketed by    
Novartis, is already approved for first-line treatment of hypertension in more  
than 80 countries, including the US, and is one of the fastest-growing branded  
prescription antihypertensives. An estimated three million patients worldwide   
take Diovan for high blood pressure.                                            

"We are pleased with FDA's assessment of Diovan in the treatment of heart       
failure and we will meet with the Agency to discuss further data requirements in
order to achieve final approval as soon as possible," said Thomas Ebeling, Chief
Executive Officer, Novartis Pharma AG.                                          

The filing was based on the Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-HeFT), the       
largest study ever conducted in heart failure. "Val-HeFT was unprecedented      
because it evaluated the effects of Diovan in patients who were already         
receiving existing heart failure therapy," said Professor Jay Cohn, Lead        
Investigator of Val-HeFT, Cardiovascular Division, University of Minnesota      
Medical School. "The robustness of the data and the consistency of its findings 
across primary and secondary endpoints support an important clinical role for   
Diovan in this devastating disease."                                            

Val-HeFT demonstrated that Diovan vs. placebo leads to significant reductions in
morbidity and hospitalizations for heart failure in patients who already take   
therapy prescribed by their physicians. The rate of all-cause mortality was     
similarly low in the two groups. The most commonly reported adverse events      
included dizziness and hypotension.                                             

Heart failure, or progressive weakening of the heart muscle, is the             
fastest-growing cardiovascular disease in the world and has reached epidemic    
proportions in industrialized nations. Twenty million people worldwide have     
heart failure and the condition is the most common reason why patients aged 65  
or older are hospitalized.                                                      

An "approvable" letter is a significant step in the FDA drug approval process.  
However, FDA "approval" is required in order to market a product for a new      
indication. If approved, Diovan will be the only ARB indicated in the US for    
treatment of heart failure. Diovan is also undergoing                           

                                                       Page 17 of 56 Total Pages

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review for heart failure in several international markets, including Germany,   
the UK, France and Switzerland.                                                 

Diovan is supported by one of the world's largest clinical trial programs with  
an ARB. Besides Val-HeFT, other trials examining the effect of Diovan beyond its
existing indication for hypertension include VALUE (high-risk patients with     
hypertension), VALIANT (post-myocardial infarction patients), and NAVIGATOR     
(patients with impaired glucose tolerance at high risk for cardiovascular       
events). Diovan is also the primary agent in a clinical trial involving adult   
type-2 diabetes patients with either normal or high blood pressure (ABCD-2V).   

All ARBs carry a warning that the drugs should not be used in pregnant women due
to the risk of injury and even death to the fetus. For full US prescribing      
information, visit the Novartis website at                                      
http:///www.pharma.us.novartis.com/what/pi.html#cardio and select Diovan.       

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 "will meet to discuss further requirements", "support an    
important clinical role", "approvable", "if approved" 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 approvable letter   
will result 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.               

Located in East Hanover, New Jersey, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an 
affiliate of the Novartis Group. Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in   
healthcare with core businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics,  
eye-care, and animal health. In 2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses   
achieved collective sales of CHF 29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net      
income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9 billion). The Group invested approximately   
CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel,
Switzerland. Novartis Group companies employ about 70,000 people and operate in 
over 140 countries around the world. For further information please consult     
http://www.novartis.com                                                         

 ###

                                                       Page 18 of 56 Total Pages

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                            Investor Relations       Novartis International AG
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland
                                                    Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                         Tel +41 61 324 8433       
                                          Nafida Bendali
                                               Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                              Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                                Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

- Novartis: R&D Day 2001 -

Reminder: The Novartis Pharmaceutical Research & Development Day for
investors and analysts takes place on 

 Tuesday, October 30, 2001

----------------------------- --------------------------------------------------
Location:                     The Waldorf Astoria                               
Starlight Roof      
301 Park Avenue     
New York 10022      
----------------------------- --------------------------------------------------
Time:                         Registration and coffee starts 8:30AM             
         Presentations to start 9:00AM
----------------------------- --------------------------------------------------
Webcast:                      Follow on the web through:  www.novartis.com      
                                                    ----------------
                             For your convenience a link is already available,
                            on http://www.novartis.com/investors/index.shtml
                               ---------------------------------------------
for tests.          
------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------
The conference can also be followed                                             
through a Audio dial in option.            +41 91 610 41 11 or "Free Phone" +800
                                2467 8700 (Europe and ROW)

Dial in numbers:                           + 1 800 860 2442 USA                 
------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------

Playback                                                                        

------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------
Date:                                            Tuesday, October 30, 2001      
------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------
Time:                                            4:00 pm for 48 hrs             
------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------
Phone                                            + 41 91 610 2500 Europe and ROW
numbers:                                         + 1 877 344 7529 USA           
------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------
Code:                                            181                            
------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------

                                                       Page 19 of 56 Total Pages

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Investors will be able to view the presentation live on the Internet on October 
30, 2001.                                                                       

The presentations will be available on the Internet 30 minutes prior the start  
of the R&D Day presentation.                                                    

Attachments:                                                                    

    1.      If you wish to attend please find attached a reply form that
             should be e-mailed or faxed back to:  raquel.rodriguez@group.
novartis.com no later than October 26, 2001.    

2.      Program                                                 

 ***

                                                       Page 20 of 56 Total Pages

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                            Investor Relations       Novartis International AG
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland
                                                    Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                         Tel +41 61 324 8433       
                                          Nafida Bendali
                                               Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                              Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                                Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

- Reply Form -

o       I will attend the New York Presentation                                 

o       I will follow the presentations on the Internet                         

Name             -------------------------------------------------------------- 

Company          -------------------------------------------------------------- 

Phone            -------------------------------------------------------------- 

Fax              -------------------------------------------------------------- 

E-mail           -------------------------------------------------------------- 

If you have not already replied, please e-mail or fax this form to
 Novartis Investor Relations
 no later than October 26, 2001.

 e-mail: raquel.rodriguez@group.novartis.com
 Fax: +41 61 324 84 44

If you have any questions or need any additional information
please contact: 

Raquel Rodriguez
 Novartis International AG
Investor Relations
 Phone: +41 61 324 79 44

 * * *

                                                       Page 21 of 56 Total Pages

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Agenda to the R&D Day                                                           

Arrival and Registration and Coffe                           08:30 am - 09:00 am

Part I                                                                          
Introduction, Pharma performance, US business update,                           
Oncology business update                                                09:00 am
D. Vasella                                                                      
T. Ebeling                                                                      
P. Costa                                                                        
D. Epstein                                                                      

Coffee Break                                                            10:10 am

Part II                                                                         
Development update                                                      10:30 am
J. Reinhardt                                                                    
J. Shannon                                                                      
D. Parkinson                                                                    

Q&A with panel                                                          11:40 am

Small Break                                                             12:00 pm

Part III                                                                        
Novartis Research, Concluding Remarks                                   12:20 pm
P. Herrling                                                                     
D. Vasella                                                                      

Q&A with panel                                                          12:55 pm

Buffet lunch                                                            01:15 pm

Booths with medical and marketing specialists                01:15 pm - 03:30 pm

Break-out session Oncology                                              02:00 pm

Break-out session Cardiovascular                                        02:40 pm

                                                       Page 22 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                       Novartis International AG
                                                    Novartis Communication
                                           CH-4002 Basel
Novartis Logo                                          Switerland               

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

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

New data further underlines the safety and efficacy of Zelmac(R) (tegaserod) in 
treating multiple symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)                    

Basel, Switzerland 24 October, 2001 - Zelmac(R) (tegaserod) offers rapid and    
sustained relief from the symptoms of abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating and   
constipation in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a    
study published this month in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.1          

"These very encouraging findings support what other studies have                
demonstrated--that Zelmac provides patients with continued, sustained relief of 
the multiple symptoms of IBS," said Stefan Muller-Lissner, M.D., lead study     
author and Head, Department of Internal Medicine at the Park-Klinik Weissensee, 
Berlin. "The onset of relief was seen within one week and was sustained over a  
12-week period."                                                                

The multinational, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed to       
evaluate the efficacy and safety of Zelmac in patients with IBS. In the study,  
881 IBS patients were randomly assigned to receive Zelmac or placebo for 12     
weeks. Those treated with Zelmac at 12 mg daily experienced significantly       
greater relief of their overall IBS symptoms than those on placebo (46.3% with  
Zelmac vs 34.5% with placebo) as measured by the Subject's Global Assessment    
(SGA) of Relief, which evaluates overall well-being, abdominal pain and         
discomfort, and altered bowel habit.1                                           

The effect on abdominal pain and discomfort (29.9% with Zelmac vs 22.6% with    
placebo) was sustained throughout the three-month treatment phase. Patients     
taking Zelmac also had a reduction of the number of days with significant       
abdominal bloating compared to patients taking placebo (-11.3% with Zelmac vs.  
+2.1% with placebo.)1 Adverse events were similar in all groups. Transient      
diarrhoea was the only adverse event that appears to have increased in frequency
with Zelmac treatment1.                                                         

Zelmac is approved for the treatment of abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating,
and altered bowel function in IBS patients whose main symptoms are              
pain/discomfort and constipation in the Czech Republic, Mexico, Venezuela,      
Columbia and Tanzania. The Swiss Health Authority, Intercantonal Office for the 
Control of Medicines (IKS), is currently reviewing Zelmac for marketing         
approval. Novartis remains committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug     
Administration (FDA), the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal       
Products (EMEA) and other regulatory authorities to help bring the benefits of  
this new therapy to patients in need.                                           

                                                       Page 23 of 56 Total Pages

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IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders2 and can have a        
significant impact on quality of life, with profound social and economic        
consequences3-5.                                                                

The foregoing press release contains certain forward-looking statements related 
to the business of Novartis, which can be identified by the use of              
forward-looking terminology such as "very encouraging","continued, sustained    
relief", "can have", "is expected", "remains committed" 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. Management's expectation regarding the commercial potential of      
tegaserod in any market could be affected by, among 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.                                                          

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com       

 # # #
References:                                                                     
--------------------------------                                                
1       Muller-Lissner SA, Fumagalli I, Bardhan KD, Pace F, Pecher E, Nault B,  
       Ruegg P. Tegaserod, a 5-HT4 receptor partial agonist, relieves symptoms
      in irritable bowel syndrome patients with abdominal pain, bloating and
       constipation. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 2001; 15: 1655-66.
2       Thompson WG, Longstreth GF, Drossman DA, Heaton KW, EJ Irvine, Muller-  
     Lissner SA. Functional bowel disorders and functional abdominal pain.
Gut 1999; 45 (Suppl II): II43-II47).                            
3       Hahn BA, Yan S, Strassels S. Impact of irritable bowel syndrome on      
       quality of life and resource use in the US and the UK.  Digestion 1999;
60: 77-81.                                                      
4       Whitehead WE, Burnett CK, Cook EW, Taub E. Impact of irritable bowel    
syndrome on quality of life.  Dig Dis Sci 1996; 41: 2248-53.    
5       Camilleri M, Williams DE, Economic burden of irritable bowel syndrome:  
    proposed strategies to control expenditures. Pharmacoeconomics 2000;
17: 331-8.                                                      

                                                       Page 24 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                       Novartis International AG
                                                    Novartis Communication
                                           CH-4002 Basel
Novartis Logo                                          Switerland               

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

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Atopic triad increasingly affects children                                      

Understanding of triad may allow for better treatment options                   

San Francisco, CA, 23 October 2001 - Atopic individuals have a genetic tendency 
to have hypersensitive reactions to allergens. This hypersensitivity usually    
manifests in the form of allergic rhinitis, asthma, and/or atopic dermatitis,   
although the exact reason why one condition develops over another is unknown.   
Studies have shown not only a significant association between these diseases,   
also known as the atopy triad, but also an increase in prevalence, particularly 
in children. Physicians met to discuss the connection between these diseases at 
a symposium held yesterday at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National 
Convention in San Francisco. In addition, data was presented on potential and   
new treatment advancements that may help children suffering from atopic         
dermatitis and asthma.                                                          

"Many patients who have one condition within the triad often suffer from one or 
both of the others," said Dr. William Berger, Clinical Professor, Department of 
Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology at the University of             
California-Irvine, and one of the presenters at the symposium. "While more      
research is needed to better understand the nature and reasons behind this triad
of conditions, we are working to apply what is known to significantly improve   
patients' treatment options and therefore their overall quality of life."Studies
show that asthma and/or allergic rhinitis develop in 35 percent to 50 percent of
atopic dermatitis patients, and about 60 percent of those patients have a family
history of one or more atopic diseases. Patients who suffer from one or more of 
the triad conditions may also experience a significantly reduced quality of     
life. In fact, many of the children with atopic dermatitis and/or asthma        
experience disrupted sleep due to wheezing (as a result of asthma) or itching   
(as a result of atopic dermatitis). Children with these conditions also report  
feelings of isolation, and low self-esteem. While the atopy triad is a complex  
set of conditions that are not yet fully understood, the good news for patients,
particularly children, is that research continues to provide new information and
advances in treatment options.                                                  

Atopic Dermatitis                                                               
Perhaps the most under-recognized triad condition is atopic dermatitis, commonly
known as eczema. Affecting up to 65 percent of sufferers within the first year  
of life and 90 percent of sufferers before the age of five, atopic dermatitis is
a highly prevalent condition in pediatric patients.                             

There are limited treatment options for children with atopic dermatitis.        
However, new data presented at the AAP symposium showed pimecrolimus (ASM 981)  
cream 1%, a steroid-free treatment in development for atopic dermatitis, to be  
safe and effective in the short-term treatment                                  

                                                       Page 25 of 56 Total Pages

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and long-term management of the disease. The new long-term data were from a     
6-month analysis of a 12-month long-term study to assess the efficacy and safety
of pimecrolimus in 251 infants (3-23 months of age) with atopic dermatitis.     
The multi-center, parallel group, double-blind, controlled, study compared a    
long-term pimecrolimus-treatment regimen with a current conventional therapy    
regimen of emollients for dry skin and topical corticosteroids for flares. In   
both treatment groups, emollients were allowed for dry skin. The patients'      
parents applied either pimecrolimus or vehicle at the earliest signs or symptoms
of the disease. Topical corticosteroids of mid-potency were used by both        
treatment groups to treat flares not controlled by either study medication.     

Results showed that more than twice as many infants in the                      
pimecrolimus-treatment group (70%) as compared to the conventional therapy      
group, made it through the entire six months without a single flare. But half as
many pimecrolimus-treated patients (16% vs. 35%) dropped from the study. These  
relationships held true no matter the severity of the patient's eczema. The     
study also demonstrated pimecrolimus to have a steroid-sparing effect. Patients 
in the pimecrolimus group required treatment with corticosteriods less often and
for a shorter duration than those patients in the conventional therapy group.   
The mean number of days of corticosteroid use in the conventional therapy group 
was approximately double that observed in the pimecrolimus group. Additional    
safety analysis showed no significant difference in the incidence of adverse    
events between the two treatment groups. In particular, there was no difference 
between skin infections, either bacterial or viral. Six-month and 12-month data 
from another study of the same design involving older children and adolescents  
were also presented and showed consistent results to that from the infant       
long-term study.                                                                

"Pimecrolimus is clinically proven to reduce flares, as well as the need for    
corticosteriods, in both infants and children suffering from atopic dermatitis,"
said John Y.M. Koo, MD, Vice Chairman and Associate Clinical Professor of       
Dermatology at the University of California-San Francisco. "When available,     
pimecrolimus will be a welcomed advance in the treatment of pediatric atopic    
dermatitis." Dr. Koo was also a presenter at the symposium.                     

Pimecrolimus is being studied and developed by Novartis Pharmaceuticals         
Corporation specifically for the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders. It is
currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a potential,
steroid-free therapy for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.                    

Asthma                                                                          
In addition to atopic dermatitis, physicians at the AAP symposium also focused  
on asthma and treatment options available for the nearly five million children  
who suffer from this chronic disease. The most common chronic childhood illness,
asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways with symptoms including       
difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and chest         
tightness. More than 30 percent of children with asthma visit hospital emergency
rooms each year to treat and control their symptoms.                            

As with other chronic conditions, the goal for treatment of asthma is the       
successful long-term management of the disease. FORADIL(R) AEROLIZERTM          
(formoterol fumarate inhalation powder) offers the unique benefit of acting     
within five minutes and lasting for up to 12 hours. In a 12-month study of 518  
children with asthma, ages 5-years-old to 12-years-old, those treated with      
FORADIL AEROLIZER demonstrated a significant improvement in lung-function. In   
addition, the study showed a reduced need for rescue medications. FORADIL       
AEROLIZER is administered twice daily via a dry powder inhaler called the       
Aerolizer(TM) inhaler, which unlike traditional metered-dose inhalers provides  
patients with the reassurance that they are in control of their                 

                                                       Page 26 of 56 Total Pages

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dosing. Adverse reactions with FORADIL AEROLIZER were similar in nature to those
experienced with other asthma drugs and include increased heart rate,           
nervousness, tremor, muscle cramps, nausea, and sleeplessness. FORADIL AEROLIZER
12mcg should not be used more than twice a day or used to relieve sudden        
symptoms - they should be treated with rescue medication like albuterol. FORADIL
AEROLIZER should be used with caution in patients with heart problems. FORADIL  
AEROLIZER is not a substitute for inhaled or oral corticosteroids.              

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements", relating to the     
Company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking       
terminology such as "may," "potential," "possibility," "when approved," "will," 
or similar expressions, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such
statements include descriptions of the potential benefit of pimecrolimus (ASM   
981) as evidenced by initial clinical trial results. Those statements reflect   
the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject  
to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the   
actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially     
different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be     
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are no guarantees
that the aforementioned clinical trials will result in the commercialization of 
pimecrolimus (ASM 981) in any market. Any such commercialization can be affected
by, among 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,
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.                                                                  

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 2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective    
sales of CHF 29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion
(USD 3.9 billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4    
billion) in R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis   
Group companies employ about 70,000 people and operate in over 140 countries    
around the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com

 ###

Media Contacts Only:                                                            
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation                     Chandler Chicco Agency 
Megan Humphrey (media relations)                     Clare Crossley             
(973) 781-6724                                           (212) 229-8435         

                                                       Page 27 of 56 Total Pages

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                            Investor Relations       Novartis International AG
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                       Switzerland
                                                    Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                         Tel +41 61 324 8433       
                                          Nafida Bendali
                                               Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                              Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                                Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                                Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                             Internet Address:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

- Investor Relations Release -

FDA grants priority review for Zometa(R)in the treatment of a serious cancer    
complication                                                                    

Basel, 23 October 2001 - Novartis announced today that Zometa(R) (zoledronic    
acid) has been designated a priority review by the US Food and Drug             
Administration (FDA) in the treatment of bone complications (metastases)        
associated with a broad range of tumor types. These included patients with      
prostate cancer, lung cancer, and other tumor types for which no intravenous    
bisphosphonate therapy is currently approved for treatment, as well as patients 
with breast cancer and multiple myeloma. The FDA grants priority review for     
therapies that may offer a significant improvement over available treatments.   

Novartis submitted the new drug application (NDA) for the use of Zometa to the  
US FDA on 22 August 2001. Submission to the EMEA in the European Union was made 
on 30 July 2001.                                                                

"Novartis is pleased that the FDA acknowledges the potential benefit Zometa has 
in treating bone metastases associated with a broad range of cancers," said     
David Epstein, President, Novartis Oncology. "Novartis continues to work with   
the FDA to ensure Zometa is thoroughly evaluated in the most timely manner      
possible."                                                                      

This application is based on data from three large international clinical trials
evaluating more than 3,000 patients with myeloma, breast cancer, prostate       
cancer, lung cancer and other solid tumors. This is the largest set of clinical 
trials ever conducted to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a            
bisphosphonate in treating cancerous bone lesions.                              

Bone metastases/lesions are common complications in prostate, breast and lung   
cancer, and multiple myeloma patients, often with severe debilitating           
consequences.                                                                   

Novartis has previously received marketing clearance for Zometa in the treatment
of tumor-induced hypercalcaemia (TIH), also known as hypercalcaemia of          
malignancy (HCM), in more than 40 countries, including the European Union (EU), 
United States, Switzerland, Brazil, Canada and Australia.                       

Contraindications and Adverse Events                                            
Zometa is contraindicated in patients with clinically significant               
hypersensitivity to zoledronic acid, other bisphosphonates or any of the        
excipients in the formulation of Zometa. It should not be used during pregnancy 
or breast-feeding unless the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the   

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fetus. Bisphosphonates, including Zometa, have been associated with reports of  
renal function changes. Therefore, as with pamidronate disodium 90 mg, standard 
hypercalcaemia-related metabolic parameters and clinical parameters of renal    
function should be carefully monitored after initiating Zometa therapy.         

The most commonly reported adverse reactions to Zometa are similar to those     
reported for other bisphosphonates like pamidronate disodium 90 mg, and can be  
expected to occur in approximately one-third of patients either for Zometa or   
for pamidronate disodium 90 mg. Intravenous administration has been most        
commonly associated with a flu-like syndrome, including bone pain fever, fatigue
and nausea. Hypocalcaemia, hypophosphatemia, local reactions at the infusion    
sites, rare cases of rash and conjunctivitis have also been reported following  
treatment with Zometa. Occasionally anorexia was reported. Overall, Zometa has  
an acceptable safety profile similar to other bisphosphonates.                  

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements," relating to the     
Company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking       
terminology such as "may offer," "significant," "improvement," "potential       
benefit," and "evaluated," or similar expressions, or by discussions of         
strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements include descriptions of Zometa, a
new product soon to be introduced by the Company, and anticipated customer      
demand for Zometa. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with
respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and    
assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or        
achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, 
performances or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such           
forward-looking statements. Some of these are uncertainties relating to         
unexpected regulatory delays, further clinical trial results regarding efficacy 
or safety of Zometa, government regulation or 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     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.      

 # # #

                                                       Page 29 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                       Novartis International AG
                                                    Novartis Communication
                                           CH-4002 Basel
Novartis Logo                                          Switerland               

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

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Novartis and Cytos sign research and license option agreements to develop a new 
class of therapies for chronic diseases                                         

Novartis explores potential of Cytos' novel approach to therapeutic vaccines in 
allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic nervous system disorders             

Basel and Zurich, Switzerland, 23 October 2001 - Novartis Pharma AG and Cytos   
Biotechnology AG announced today that they have entered into three separate     
research and commercial license option agreements to develop therapeutic        
vaccines for the treatment of allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic nervous
system disorders. After completion of initial research programs with Cytos, and 
following exercise of its options, Novartis will acquire exclusive worldwide    
development, manufacturing and marketing rights to the drug candidates that it  
accepts from Cytos. Under the terms of the agreements, Cytos will receive       
research funding and pre-commercialization milestone and license payments of up 
to CHF 70 million, and royalties on sales of the products resulting from the    
collaboration.                                                                  

Recent advances in genomics and biology have led to a better understanding of   
the molecular mechanisms of disease processes. This in turn is driving a shift  
towards causal and disease-modifying therapies, rather than those treating only 
the symptoms of disease. The application of Cytos' technology to disease-related
proteins permits the development of a new class of therapeutic vaccines, named  
ImmunodrugsTM, with the potential to cure or delay progression of major chronic 
diseases. This is achieved by presentation of the selected disease-related      
protein to the patient's immune system in a highly repetitive array known to    
efficiently trigger an immune response. The resulting therapeutic vaccine       
instructs the immune system to produce specific antibodies that block or        
activate the disease-associated antigen with the goal of prevention,            
long-lasting stabilization or reversion of the disease process. Cytos' novel    
approach to immunotherapy may thus represent a transition from passive          
immunization with monoclonal antibodies to the active engagement of the         
patient's immune system in the treatment process.                               

Paul Herrling, Head of Global Research for Novartis Pharma, said, "We find      
highly attractive the potential represented in Cytos' novel therapeutics for the
treatment of chronic diseases. The Cytos approach holds the promise of          
complementing and extending our own competitive in-house programs. We look      
forward to a successful collaboration that could contribute a new class of      
therapeutic entities to our development pipeline within the next couple of      
years."                                                                         

Wolfgang Renner, CEO of Cytos, commented: "The agreements launch important      
programs for Cytos and demonstrate the Novartis commitment to our therapeutic   
vaccines platform; a technology with very broad applications in many diseases.  
The collaborations enable us to explore                                         

                                                       Page 30 of 56 Total Pages

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these drugs with one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. We are    
very excited about this outstanding opportunity and look forward to a productive
collaboration."                                                                 

This foregoing press release may contain forward-looking statements that include
words or phrases such as, "will", "aim at", "could", "may" or other similar     
expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of       
significant uncertainties, including scientific, business, economic and         
financial factors, and therefore actual results may differ significantly from   
those presented. Cytos is not under any obligation to update such statements.   
There can be no assurance that the therapeutic vaccines developed by Cytos will 
enter clinical trials, that clinical trial results will be predictive for future
results, that the drug candidates will be the subject of filings for regulatory 
approval, that any drug candidates will receive marketing approval from the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration or equivalent regulatory authorities, or that      
vaccines which result from this collaboration will be marketed successfully.    
This document does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe or        
purchase any securities.                                                        

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.      

Cytos Biotechnology AG is a privately held Swiss company that is engaged in the 
discovery, development and commercialization of a new class of biopharmaceutical
products, the ImmunodrugsTM, that serve to prevent or cure chronic diseases     
affecting millions of people worldwide. Cytos' ImmunodrugsTM aim at instructing 
the patient's immune system to produce specific antibodies that fight disease   
processes. Founded in 1995 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of    
Technology (ETH), Cytos has its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, with a     
subsidiary in Konstanz, Germany. To date, Cytos has raised CHF 61 million (USD  
36 million) from leading international venture capital institutions. It         
currently employs around 100 people in Zurich and Konstanz, 45 of whom hold a   
PhD.                                                                            

 # # #

                                                       Page 31 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                       Novartis International AG
                                                    Novartis Communication
                                           CH-4002 Basel
                                        Switerland

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

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

New data on Novartis drug Zometa(R) for treatment of breast cancer and multiple 
myeloma-related bone complications published in major medical journal           

Breast cancer data presented at European Cancer Conference; therapy infused in  
fraction of time of previous generation therapies                               

Basel, 22 October 2001 - Clinical data published in the September 2001 issue of 
The Cancer Journal demonstrate that the Novartis drug Zometa(R) (zoledronic     
acid) reduces the incidence of cancer-related bone complications called skeletal
related events (SREs) in patients with multiple myeloma or advanced breast      
cancer. The data also show that treatment with Zometa delays the time to onset  
of the first SRE. Additionally, the authors conclude that the fast and          
convenient 15-minute infusion time of Zometa offers benefit to physicians and   
patients. The breast cancer data from this study is being presented at the      
European Cancer Conference in Lisbon, Portugal on 21 October.                   

Skeletal related events are a serious, painful and sometimes life-threatening   
complication of bone metastases. They were defined in the study as pathologic   
fractures, spinal cord compression, surgery to bone, radiation therapy to bone  
and hypercalcaemia of malignancy. Current therapeutic options for complications 
of bone metastases include: chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy,       
analgesics for pain management, surgery and the use of intravenous              
bisphosphonates.                                                                

"The shorter infusion time of Zometa offers patients the important benefit of   
greater convenience than previous generation therapies," said Lee Rosen, MD,    
Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Hematology and Oncology at   
UCLA Medical Center, a primary investigator and study author. "The data,        
combined with the convenient infusion time suggest Zometa should be the new     
standard of treatment for bone complications of breast cancer and multiple      
myeloma."                                                                       

Study Details                                                                   
This international Phase III, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy trial was  
designed to compare the efficacy of the 15-minute infusion of Zometa (4 or 8/4  
mg) to that of Aredia(R) (pamidronate disodium, 90 mg) infused over two hours.  
The study included 1,648 patients with either stage III multiple myeloma (a     
cancer of the plasma cells), or advanced breast cancer. The final efficacy      
analyses focused on comparisons of 4 mg Zometa versus pamidronate, as the higher
Zometa dose did not provide added efficacy, but was associated with reduced     
tolerability. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of patients      
experiencing at least one SRE by the 13th month.                                

                                                       Page 32 of 56 Total Pages

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The proportion of study participants who had experienced at least one SRE at    
month 13 was approximately 44% in the Zometa 4 mg group and 46% in the          
pamidronate disodium group. In addition, the median time to first SRE, a        
secondary endpoint, was approximately one year in both treatment groups. The    
multiple myeloma portion of the data was presented earlier this month in an     
abstract at the Recent Advances in The Management of Multiple Myeloma meeting,  
at the German Cancer Research Centre, in Heidelberg, Germany.                   

About Zometa                                                                    
To date, Novartis has received marketing clearances for Zometa in the treatment 
of tumor-induced hypercalcaemia (TIH), also known as hypercalcaemia of          
malignancy (HCM), in more than 40 countries, including the EU, United States,   
Switzerland, Brazil, Canada and Australia. HCM is the most common               
life-threatening metabolic complication of cancer. Novartis has recently filed  
in the EU and the US for the treatment of bone metastases associated with a     
broad range of tumor types. These include prostate, breast and lung cancer, and 
multiple myeloma.                                                               

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements," relating to the     
Company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking       
terminology such as "new," "should," "application," or similar expressions, or  
by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements reflect the    
current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to   
certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the      
actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially     
different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be     
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these are      
uncertainties relating to unexpected regulatory delays, further clinical trial  
results regarding efficacy or safety of Zometa, government regulation or        
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     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com       

 # # #

6-K 34th Page of 56 TOC 1st Previous Next ↓Bottom Just 34th
                          Investor Relations       Novartis International AG
                                       CH-4002 Basel
                                     Switzerland
                                                  Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                        Tel +41 61 324 8433        
                                        Nafida Bendali
                                             Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                            Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                              Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                              Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                           Internet Address:
                                                 http://www.novartis.com

- Investor Relations Release -

Novartis submits supplemental NDA with US FDA for Glivec(R) for treatment of    
certain GI tumors                                                               

Approval would represent first new treatment option beyond surgery for          
gastrointestinal stromal tumors; represents first filing of a signal            
transduction inhibitor in a solid tumor                                         

Basel, 19 October 2001 - Novartis announced today that it has submitted a       
supplementary New Drug Application (sNDA) to the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), seeking marketing authorisation for its novel drug Glivec(R) (imatinib)1 
for the treatment of patients with unresectable (inoperable) and/or metastatic  
malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs).                             

GISTs are the most common malignant form of sarcoma arising in the              
gastrointestinal tract. Historically, GISTs have been very difficult to treat   
due to their high levels of resistance to treatment with traditional            
chemotherapy and radiation therapy. For patients with metastatic or unresectable
disease, GISTs represent an incurable malignancy with a median survival of      
approximately ten to twelve months. Until now, surgery has been the only        
treatment option, resulting in essentially palliation of this disease. There are
approximately 12,000 new cases each year of malignant GIST worldwide.           

"GISTs are very difficult to treat and there are very few options beyond surgery
for these patients," said David Parkinson, MD, vice president, clinical         
research, Novartis Oncology. "Glivec is extremely active against the molecular  
abnormality that helps trigger GISTs, and Novartis believes it represents a     
significant advance in overall treatment of the disease."                       

Glivec Background                                                               
After a priority review, the U.S. FDA approved Glivec on 10 May 2001 for the    
treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the blast crisis,  
accelerated phase or in chronic phase after failure of interferon-alpha therapy.
The effectiveness of Glivec in CML is based on overall hematologic and          
cytogenetic response rates. There are no controlled trials demonstrating a      
clinical benefit such as improvement in disease-related symptoms or increased   
survival. This represented the fastest approval of any cancer drug. Glivec is   
currently approved for marketing in more than 30 countries, including the United
States, Switzerland and Australia. Glivec received a positive recommendation by 
the European Union's Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) in July
2001, and an approval by the European Commission is anticipated shortly.        

------------------------                                                        
1 In the US:  Gleevec tm (imatinib mesylate); outside the US:  Gilvec (imatinib)

                                                       Page 34 of 56 Total Pages

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About Glivec and GISTs                                                          
The submission for US FDA approval is supported by data from a Phase II,        
open-label, multinational study conducted in 147 patients with unresectable or  
metastatic malignant GIST. Patients were randomized to receive either 400 mg or 
600 mg of Glivec daily for up to 24 months. The overall response rate is 40%    
based on confirmed partial responses at the time of the data cut-off for the    
submission. An additional 32% of patients in this study achieved a clinically   
significant reduction in tumor size. Only 12% of patients progressed in the     
study.                                                                          

Contraindications and Adverse Events                                            
Glivec has been well tolerated in patients with GIST. Although almost all       
patients had adverse events reported at least once during the trial, only a very
small percentage had these recorded as either grade 3 or 4 in severity. Five    
patients (3.4%) withdrew from the study due to adverse events. In this clinical 
trial, the most common adverse events were nausea; diarrhea; periorbital edema; 
fatigue; muscle cramps; abdominal pain; dermatitis; vomiting; flatulence; lower 
limb edema; nasopharyngitis; insomnia; back pain; and pyrexia. The adverse      
events in patients with GIST are similar to those in patients with CML, and the 
majority of CML patients treated with Glivec also experienced adverse events at 
some time. Most events were of mild to moderate grade, but drug was discontinued
for adverse events in 1% of patients in chronic phase, 2% in accelerated phase  
and 5% in blast crisis. Glivec is contraindicated in patients with known        
hypersensitivity. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid    
becoming pregnant. If Glivec is used during pregnancy or if the patient becomes 
pregnant while taking Glivec, the patient should be apprised of the potential   
hazard to the fetus. The most common side effects included nausea, fluid        
retention, muscle cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, hemorrhage, musculoskeletal pain, 
skin rash, headache, fatigue, arthralgia, dyspepsia and dyspnea. Serious and    
severe side effects, such as hepatoxicity (1.1% to 3.5%), fluid retention       
syndrome (2%to 10%), neutropenia (8% to 46%) and thrombocytopenia (less than 1% 
to 31%) have also been reported in some patients. There are no long-term safety 
data on Glivec treatment.                                                       

Glivec is one of the first cancer drugs to be developed using rational drug     
design, based on an understanding of how some cancer cells work. Glivec targets 
the activity of certain enzymes called tyrosine kinases that play an important  
role within certain cancer cells. The activity of one of these tyrosine kinases,
known as c-kit, is thought to drive the growth and division of most GISTs.      

The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified
by terminology such as "would represent," "anticipated," "seeking market        
authorization," "is supported by" and "believed to target," 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 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     
2000, the Novartis                                                              

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Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF 29.1 billion (USD   
17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9 billion). The Group  
invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in R&D. Novartis AG is 
headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group companies employ about      
70,000 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further   
information please consult http://www.novartis.com.                             

 # # #

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                                                   Novartis International AG
                                                Novartis Communication
                                       CH-4002 Basel
                                    Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                              Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                             Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                          Internet Adress:
                                                 http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Visudyne(TM) therapy reimbursement in US expanded to include patients with      
occult form of wet age-related macular degeneration                             

Importance of Visudyne therapy confirmed for additional patient population      

Basel, 19 October 2001 -- Novartis Ophthalmics, the eye health unit of Novartis 
AG, and QLT Inc. today announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid     
Services (CMS), formerly the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), has   
announced its intention to expand its national coverage policy for Visudyne(TM) 
(verteporfin for injection) therapy. The policy, once implemented, will include 
patients with occult only subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary
to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) -- a leading cause of blindness.      

The decision is the result of a formal request by the Vitreous Society as well  
as a series of consultations with physicians, clinical investigators and        
representatives from Novartis Ophthalmics and QLT. This expansion, once         
effective, will provide coverage for two-thirds of patients with CNV secondary  
to AMD.                                                                         

"We are very pleased with the revised policy by CMS," said Luzi von Bidder, head
of Novartis Ophthalmics. "This decision substantially expands the number of     
patients who will be covered under CMS' reimbursement guidelines and is a       
significant advancement for patients with the occult form of wet AMD".          

Dr. Julia Levy, president and CEO of QLT, said, "It's very gratifying that CMS  
acknowledges the importance and validity of the data recently published in the  
American Journal of Ophthalmology showing Visudyne's benefit in the occult form 
of wet AMD."                                                                    

Visudyne is commercially available in more than 50 countries for the treatment  
of predominantly classic subfoveal CNV caused by AMD. It is also approved in 25 
countries, including the EU, US and Canada, for the treatment of subfoveal CNV  
due to pathologic myopia (severe near-sightedness). In the US, Visudyne has     
received an additional approval for CNV due to presumed ocular histoplasmosis.  
Approximately 90,000 to 100,000 patients have undergone Visudyne therapy        
worldwide.                                                                      

About AMD                                                                       
AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50 and is caused
by a growth of abnormal blood vessels (CNV) under the central part of the retina
or macula. The vessels leak fluid and blood and can lead to the development of  
scar tissue that destroys the central retina, resulting in a deterioration of   
sight over a period ranging anywhere from two months to three years. Although   
the wet form (the form Visudyne is used to treat) represents an estimated 15% of

                                                       Page 37 of 56 Total Pages

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all AMD cases, it accounts for approximately 90% of the severe vision loss      
associated with the diseases. Worldwide, approximately 500,000 new cases of wet 
AMD occur each year and this estimate is expected to grow dramatically as the   
population ages. "Occult" and "classic" are terms used to describe the different
patterns of CNV leakage as seen on fluorescein angiography.                     

About  Visudyne                                                                 
Novartis Ophthalmics and QLT Inc. have developed Visudyne(TM) (verteporfin for  
injection)1 therapy, the only drug therapy approved for the treatment of some   
forms of wet AMD. Visudyne therapy is a two-step procedure that can be performed
in a doctor's office. First, the drug is injected intravenously into the        
patient's arm. A non-thermal laser light is then shone into the patient's eye to
activate the drug.                                                              

For more information, visit www.visudyne.com.                                   

The foregoing press release contains forward-looking statements that can be     
identified by terminology such as "look forward," "could significantly expand   
the current market," "potential," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking  
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors,    
which may cause the actual results and assumptions to be materially different   
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by    
such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: risks associated 
with the development and commercialization of the treatment, including          
uncertainties relating to manufacturing, clinical trials, registration, patient 
enrollment, pricing and reimbursement; patient and physician demand for the     
treatment; competition; any uncertainty regarding patents and proprietary       
rights; outcome of litigation claims, product liability claims and insurance;   
government regulation; anti-takeover provisions; dependence on corporate        
relationships; volatility of share prices; QLT Inc's rapid growth, its history  
of operating losses and uncertainty of future profitability, its access to      
capital; and any additional information and other factors as described in detail
in QLT Inc.'s Annual Information Form on Form 10-K and recent and forthcoming   
quarterly reports on Form 10Q, Novartis AG's Form 20-F on file, and other       
filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.                         

Background on Novartis Ophthalmics and QLT                                      
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, Georgia. Novartis Ophthalmics has production  
sites in Switzerland, France and Canada. For more information, visit            
www.novartisophthalmics.com or www.novartisophthalmics.com/us.                  

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70,000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com       

QLT Inc. (NASDAQ: QLTI; TSE:QLT) is a world leader in photodynamic therapy, a   
field of medicine utilizing light-activated drugs in the treatment of disease.  
QLT's innovative science has led to the development and commercialization of    
breakthrough treatments utilizing this technology                               

                                                       Page 38 of 56 Total Pages

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for applications in ophthalmology and oncology and is exploring the potential in
other diseases. For more information, you are invited to visit QLT's web site at
www.qltinc.com.                                                                 

 # # #

1 Outside the US: Visudyne(R); in the US: Visudyne(TM)                          

                                                       Page 39 of 56 Total Pages

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                                             Novartis International AG
                                          Novartis Communication
                                 CH-4002 Basel
                              Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                        Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                       Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                    Internet Adress:
                                           http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Laboratory results confirm Novartis employee did not contract anthrax           

Basel City Cantonal Laboratory analysis reveals no traces of anthrax            

Basel, 17 October 2001 - Novartis is relieved to announce that the medical tests
for anthrax carried out on one of its employees earlier this week have yielded  
negative results. The analysis was performed by the Cantonal Laboratory of the  
City of Basel.                                                                  

On Tuesday, 9 October, a Novartis employee received a letter containing an      
unidentified powder, which he reported to his supervisor on Sunday, 14 October, 
in the light of reports in the media on cases of anthrax in the US. The company 
immediately launched an investigation and took the necessary measures. The      
employee underwent a medical examination without delay and received prophylactic
treatment as a precaution.                                                      

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.      

 # # #

                                                       Page 40 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                       Novartis International AG
                                                    Novartis Communication
                                           CH-4002 Basel
                                        Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                                  Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                                 Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                              Internet Adress:
                                                     http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Novartis says it will not increase prices of reimbursable medicines in          
Switzerland for the next two years                                              

Basel, 17 October 2001 - Novartis today announced that it does not intend to    
submit any new applications for increases in the prices of its reimbursable     
medicines in Switzerland in 2002 and 2003. This initiative is in response to the
premium increases recently announced by Swiss health insurance companies. The   
Federal Office for Social Security (BSV) has been notified of the company's     
decision.                                                                       

Armin Zust, Head of Novartis Pharma Switzerland, commented: "For many families, 
the average rise of 10% in premiums announced by health insurers is a           
significant financial burden. By taking this measure, we mean to set an example 
and to live up to our responsibilities as a healthcare leader in Switzerland."  

By voluntarily freezing the prices of its reimbursable medicines over the next  
two years, the company is making an effort to curb increasing healthcare costs. 
It is hoped that, during this period, savings can also be achieved with regard  
to other cost drivers that are responsible for the bulk of health insurers'     
expenditures.                                                                   

Drugs account for only about 12% of total healthcare costs, but make up almost  
20% of health insurance companies' outlays, because not all healthcare expenses 
are covered by the insurers. In recent years, total costs in the pharmaceuticals
sector have risen annually by 7-9%, primarily because older treatments have been
replaced by innovative and improved drug therapies. Although new drugs are often
more expensive than older ones, they can lead to savings within the healthcare  
system, for example by shortening costly hospitalization periods or             
convalescence times. In addition, as a result of the enhanced efficacy of new   
drug treatments, the absolute volume of drugs prescribed has declined slightly  
in recent years. Finally, it should be noted that the need for medical services 
and treatments will grow as the population progressively ages, leading to       
further increases in healthcare costs.                                          

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.      
 # # #
                                                       Page 41 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                     Novartis International AG
                                                  Novartis Communication
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                      Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                                Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                               Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                            Internet Adress:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

Suspicious letter received at Novartis                                          

Investigation of incident launched immediately                                  

Basel, 15 October 2001 - Last Tuesday, 9 October, a Novartis employee received a
letter containing an unidentified powder, which he reported to his supervisor on
Sunday, 14 October, in the light of reports in the media on cases of anthrax in 
the US. It was not possible, after the event, to trace the origin of the letter.

The company immediately launched an investigation and took the necessary        
measures. The employee underwent a medical examination without delay and        
received prophylactic treatment. The results of the laboratory tests are        
expected to be available by 19 October. Investigations are under way to         
establish whether any other employee could possibly have come into contact with 
the substance and whether any further measures need to be taken. The Basel-Stadt
cantonal authorities were immediately informed of the incident. Novartis staff  
were also informed today.                                                       

Given the circumstances and on the basis of the findings currently available, it
is unlikely that the incident is analogous to the cases reported in the US.     
Nevertheless, the company has felt obliged to take precautionary measures. The  
authorities and the public will be informed of any further details of the       
incident or laboratory findings as soon as they become available.               

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.      

 # # #

                                                       Page 42 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                     Novartis International AG
                                                  Novartis Communication
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                      Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                                Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                               Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                            Internet Adress:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

FDA Advisory Committee issues split decision on recommendation to approve       
Diovan(R) (valsartan) for heart failure indication                              

Basel / East Hanover, 12 October 2001 - Novartis' Pharmaceuticals affiliate in  
the US, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, announced yesterday that the      
Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee to the US Food and Drug       
Administration (FDA) has issued a four-to-four split decision about whether to  
recommend approval of Diovan(R) (valsartan) for the treatment of heart failure. 
Advisory Committees to the FDA provide independent opinions and recommendations 
to the Agency on applications to market new drugs or approved drugs for         
supplemental indications. Final decisions are made by the FDA.                  

The supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Diovan for heart failure was   
filed with the FDA on 27 April 2001, and was granted priority review status. The
Diovan filing is based on the positive results of the Valsartan Heart Failure   
Trial (Val-HeFT), the largest trial ever conducted in heart failure involving   
5010 patients in 302 centers in 16 countries. Diovan is a leading angiotensin II
receptor blocker (ARB) in the treatment of high blood pressure.                 

"We will continue to work with the FDA regarding our filing because we believe  
that Diovan has shown clear benefit in heart failure," said Paulo Costa,        
president and chief executive officer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.    

Val-HeFT demonstrated that Diovan leads to significant, incremental reductions  
in morbidity and hospitalizations for heart failure in patients who already take
therapy prescribed by their physicians. Diovan has been approved for treatment  
of high blood pressure since 1996 and is the only ARB to demonstrate positive   
results in heart failure in a large-scale clinical trial.                       

In Val-HeFT, Diovan significantly reduced morbidity by 13.2% (p=0.009) and      
hospitalizations for heart failure by 27.5% (p<0.001) in patients who also took 
prescribed therapy vs. patients who took prescribed therapy with placebo, or    
sugar pill. Prescribed therapy could include ACE inhibitors, beta blockers,     
diuretics and digoxin as selected by the patients' physicians. The findings of  
Val-HeFT include significant improvements in ejection fraction (p=0.001), NYHA  
functional class (p<0.001), and clinical signs and symptoms of heart failure    
(dyspnea, fatigue, edema and rales) (p=0.01). Val-HeFT also demonstrated that   
heart failure patients taking Diovan with prescribed therapy experienced a      
significantly better quality of life in both the physical and emotional sense   
(p=0.005) vs. patients taking prescribed therapy and placebo, as measured by the
Minnesota Living With Heart Failure questionnaire, a standard assessment tool.  
The rate of all-cause mortality was similarly low in the two groups.            

Adverse events leading to withdrawal occurred in 9.9% of patients receiving     
Diovan and prescribed therapy vs. 7.3% of patients receiving placebo and        
prescribed therapy. The most                                                    

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commonly reported adverse events included dizziness and hypotension. The        
benefits demonstrated in Val-HeFT did not appear to extend to the subgroup of   
patients taking Diovan in combination with both an ACE inhibitor and a beta     
blocker.                                                                        

Heart failure, or the progressive weakening of the heart muscle, is the fastest 
growing cardiovascular disease in the world. Nearly five million Americans have 
heart failure and 1500 new cases are diagnosed every day. Heart failure is also 
the leading cause of hospitalization in people age 65 and over. In the US, 2600 
people are hospitalized every day because of this condition - a major reason why
costs for treating heart failure are expected to exceed USD 50 billion next     
year. High blood pressure is a common risk factor for heart failure. About 75%  
of heart failure patients have a prior history of hypertension.                 

About three million patients worldwide take Diovan for high blood pressure.     
Diovan is one of the fastest growing among the top 10 branded prescription      
antihypertensives in the US today.                                              

Novartis is conducting one of the world's largest clinical trial programs with  
an ARB. Besides Val-HeFT, other trials examining the effect of Diovan beyond its
existing indication for hypertension include VALUE (high-risk patients with     
hypertension), VALIANT (post-myocardial infarction patients), and NAVIGATOR     
(patients with impaired glucose tolerance at high risk for cardiovascular       
events). Diovan is also the primary agent in a clinical trial involving adult   
type-2 diabetes patients with either normal or high blood pressure (ABCD-2V).   

All ARBs carry a warning that the drugs should not be used in pregnant women due
to the risk of injury and even death to the fetus. For full prescribing         
information, visit the Novartis website at                                      
http:///www.pharma.us.novartis.com/what/pi.html#cardio and select Diovan.       

The foregoing press statement contains forward-looking statements that can be   
identified by terminology such as "recommendation," "filed," "confident" or     
similar expressions. Such forward-looking 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            
expectations could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties relating to
clinical trials and product development; unexpected regulatory delays,          
government regulation, data from further clinical studies, including, but not   
limited to, additional evidence concerning the efficacy of Diovan for treatment 
of heart failure, data concerning possible adverse effects resulting from       
administration of Diovan, and data derived from other studies examining the     
effect of Diovan for possible treatment of conditions beyond its existing       
indications.                                                                    

Located in East Hanover, New Jersey, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation       
(NYSE:NVS), is an affiliate of the Novartis Group, a world leader in healthcare 
with core businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care,   
and animal health. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, the Novartis Group      
employs about 70,000 people and operates in over 140 countries around the world.

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.      

                                                       Page 44 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                       Novartis International AG
                                                    Novartis Communication
                                           CH-4002 Basel
                                        Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                                  Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                                 Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                              Internet Adress:
                                                     http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

FDA approves Focus(R) Night & Day(TM) contact lenses in the US for extended wear
for up to thirty nights of continuous wear                                      

o    First contact lens of its kind with this wearing indication in the US      

o    Revolutionary lens offers convenient, comfortable, 24-hour vision          
correction                                                            

Basel / Atlanta, 12 October 2001 - Novartis' eye care unit CIBA Vision announced
today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Focus(R) Night
& Day(TM) contact lenses for extended wear for up to thirty nights of continuous
wear in the US. Focus Night & Day lenses are the first high-oxygen, extended    
wear, soft lens with this wearing indication in the US. Focus Night & Day lenses
are broadly available in Europe and elsewhere. However, these lenses have not   
previously been available in the US, which is the world's largest single market 
for soft contact lenses. US sales of disposable contact lenses totaled USD 1.2  
billion last year.                                                              

"Focus Night & Day is the most significant advance in contact lenses since soft 
lenses were introduced more than 30 years ago," said Stuart Heap, president of  
CIBA Vision's global lens business. "CIBA Vision's commitment to innovation has 
produced a breakthrough product that delivers what lens wearers want -          
convenient, continuous vision correction that easily fits with their busy and   
unpredictable lifestyles".                                                      

Because they can be worn continuously for up to 30 nights and days, Focus Night 
& Day soft contact lenses can eliminate the daily annoyance of inserting,       
removing and cleaning lenses. Lenses are simply discarded after a month of      
providing clear and comfortable vision around the clock.                        

"They are also a good alternative to laser vision surgery for the millions of   
individuals who are not good candidates for the surgery and for those who are   
averse to the procedure due to its high costs, invasiveness, non-reversibility  
and potential complications," Heap said.                                        

Focus Night & Day is made from a revolutionary new silicone hydrogel material   
that supplies six times more oxygen to the eye (175 Dk/t) than ordinary         
disposable lenses. This is 40% greater than the minimum threshold (125 Dk/t)    
recognized by independent researchers for overnight lens wear. The unique,      
biocompatible properties of the lens also help minimize deposit build-up on the 
lens over time.                                                                 

Insufficient oxygen compromises normal eye function and may cause the cornea to 
swell. While minimal swelling is common during sleep, even in people who do not 
wear contact lenses, sleeping in ordinary contact lenses substantially reduces  
oxygen supply to the eyes which can cause the                                   

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cornea to swell significantly and often results in very irritated eyes and      
uncomfortable lens wear. In research studies, users wearing Focus Night & Day   
lenses experienced minimal swelling similar to those wearing no lens at all and 
significantly less limbal redness that is typically seen with soft contact lens 
wear.                                                                           

"Focus Night & Day lenses are the first to meet patients' demand for the        
ultimate in vision correction convenience, and as an eye care practitioner, they
meet my requirements for outstanding clinical performance," said Rex Ghormley,  
O.D., President of Vision Care Consultants in St. Louis, Mo. and participating  
optometrist in the US FDA clinical trial for Focus Night & Day.                 

Since 1999, more than 250 000 patients in more than 40 countries have worn Focus
Night & Day for up to 30 continuous nights and days. In addition, CIBA Vision   
has amassed more than 2 000 patient years of clinical study with Focus Night &  
Day, making it one of the most thoroughly researched contact lenses in history. 

While virtually all people who need vision correction are candidates for Focus  
Night & Day, not everyone can reach the maximum wear time of 30 continuous      
nights. People should consult their eye care practitioner to determine if the   
lenses are suitable for them.                                                   

The lenses will be priced competitively with the combined cost need to wear and 
clean ordinary disposable contact lenses and will be offered in two base curve  
sizes of 8.6 mm and 8.4 mm and the power range will include +0.25D to +6.00D in 
0.25D steps, -0.25D to -8.00D in 0.25D steps and -8.50D to -10.00D in 0.50D     
steps.                                                                          

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 website 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 2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses   
achieved collective sales of CHF 29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net      
income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9 billion). The Group invested approximately   
CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel,
Switzerland. Novartis Group companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in 
over 140 countries around the world. For further information please consult     
http://www.novartis.com.                                                        

 # # #
                                                       Page 46 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                     Novartis International AG
                                                  Novartis Communication
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                      Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                                Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                               Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                            Internet Adress:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

New non-steroid cream Elidel(R) offers relief to babies suffering from eczema   

Studies show Elidel prevents early signs and symptoms progressing to flares     

Basel, Switzerland, 12 October 2001 - The itching skin condition atopic eczema  
can be kept under control in 7 out of 10 babies with the new non-steroid cream  
Elidel(R), one of the first new treatments to be developed for eczema in almost 
50 years. Study results presented this week at the European Dermatology and     
Venereology Congress in Munich, showed that one week after starting treatment   
with Elidel, itching stopped or was only mild in 70% of 3- to 23-month-olds. By 
using the cream as soon as the first signs of eczema or itching recurred,       
disease flares were prevented in 70% of the babies and topical corticosteroid   
treatment was not required during the 6-month study. These results build on     
existing data already presented in patients aged 2-17.*                         

"Eczema in infants has a huge impact on the entire family", said one of the     
investigators taking part in the 250-patient study, Dr Mark Goodfield,          
Consultant Dermatologist at Leeds General Infirmary, UK. "For many patients, the
itch is unbearable, the babies cannot sleep and their crying is upsetting for   
the whole family. When the infants are old enough to scratch themselves, they   
may scratch until they bleed and this, too, is particularly distressing for     
parents. So any relief for the baby brings relief for the whole family."        

Eczema has typically been treated with moisturisers for the dry skin stage, and 
intermittent use of corticosteroids to treat disease flares in which the skin   
becomes increasingly red, swollen, and may weep and form crusts. However,       
corticosteroids have to be used with caution in infants or young children, and  
their long-term use can cause side-effects such as skin thinning and growth     
retardation.                                                                    

"Many parents are reluctant to use corticosteroids on children, and so there is 
a great need for an effective alternative," Dr Goodfield said. "This study shows
that Elidel cream has the potential to provide the sought-after alternative     
treatment which does not have steroid-associated side effects."                 

Novartis has filed applications with the Food and Drug Administration in the US,
in Canada, and with health authorities in Switzerland and Denmark (the reference
member state for the European Union), for authorisation to market Elidel.       

* Data presented at the International Symposium on Atopic Dermatitis, 6-9       
September 2001, Portland, Oregon, US.                                           

                                                       Page 47 of 56 Total Pages

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Other data reported at the congress showed that:                                

o   In this study with 250 infants, only 32% of those receiving a conventional  
treatment (emollients for dry skin and corticosteroids for flares) were 
flare-free over 6 months                                                
o   In a year-long study involving 713 patients aged 2 - 17 years, 51% of the   
    children using Elidel at the first signs and symptoms of eczema did not have
any disease flares or need topical corticosteroids. Only 28% of patients
  receiving the conventional treatment were flare-free over the same period.

The most common adverse event reported among the 1700 patients treated with     
Elidel to date is a sensation of warmth or burning where the cream is applied.  
This is usually mild and disappears within a few days of treatment. It occurred 
in 1 of 10 children aged 2 - 17 years.                                          

Elidel (pimecrolimus, formerly known as SDZ ASM 981), which is being developed  
by Novartis, is the first treatment proven to affect the long-term course of    
atopic eczema by reducing the incidence of eczema flares and the need for       
topical corticosteroids. As a skin-selective inflammatory cytokine inhibitor,   
Elidel works by selectively targeting those cells in the skin which release the 
pro-inflammatory mediators in atopic eczema.                                    

This press release contains forward looking statements which can be identified  
by the use of forward looking terminology such as "offers", "can keep be kept   
under control", "new", 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 
Elidel in any market. Any such commercialisation 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. Any of these and other factors can cause the actual results to 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     
2000, the Novartis Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF  
29.1 billion (USD 17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9    
billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 
R&D. Novartis AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group         
companies employ about 70 000 people and operate in over 140 countries around   
the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.      

 # # #
                                                       Page 48 of 56 Total Pages

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                               Investor Relations      Novartis International AG
                                           CH-4002 Basel
                                         Switzerland
                                                      Karen J Huebscher, PH.D.
Novartis Logo                                          Tel +41 61 324 8433      
                                            Nafida Bendali
                                                 Tel +41 61 324 3514
                                                Sabine Moravi, MBA
                                                  Tel + 41 61 324 8989
                                                  Fax + 41 61 324 8844
                                               Internet Address:
                                                     http://www.novartis.com

- Novartis: Invitation to the R&D Day 2001 -

Novartis invites you to attend its Pharmaceutical Research & Development Day
for investors and analysts on 

 Tuesday, October 30, 2001

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location:          The Waldorf Astoria                                          
301 Park Avenue-Starlight Roof            
New York, New York 10022                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time:              Registration starts 8:30AM                                   
                Presentations to start 9:00AM; final agenda to follow soon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Webcast:           Follow on the web through:  www.novartis.com                 
                              ----------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please Note:                                                                    

Investors will be able to view the presentation live on the Internet on October 
30, 2001. A test link will be sent-out in advance.                              

For your convenience, attached is a reply form that should be e-mailed back to: 
raquel.rodriguez@group.novartis.com no later than October 24, 2001.             

                                                       Page 49 of 56 Total Pages

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- Reply Form -

|_|   I will attend the New York Presentation                                   

|_|   I will follow the presentations on the Internet                           

Name                                                                            
                --------------------------------------------------------------
Company                                                                         
                --------------------------------------------------------------
Phone                                                                           
                --------------------------------------------------------------
Fax                                                                             
                --------------------------------------------------------------
E-mail                                                                          
                --------------------------------------------------------------

If you have not already replied, please e-mail or fax this form to
Novartis Investor Relations 
no later than October 26, 2001. 

e-mail: raquel.rodriguez@group.novartis.com 
Fax: +41 61 324 84 44 

If you have any questions or need any additional information please contact:
Raquel Rodriguez
Novartis International AG 
Investor Relations
Phone: +41 61 324 79 44 

* * * 

                                                       Page 50 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                     Novartis International AG
                                                  Novartis Communication
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                      Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                                Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                               Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                            Internet Adress:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

MEDIA RELEASE o COMMUNIQUE AUX MEDIAS o MEDIENMITTEILUNG

New data shows underdiagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) burdens patients
and healthcare systems worldwide                                                

Separate study presented at international medical meeting reinforces long-term  
safety of Novartis' Zelmac(R) for treatment of IBS                              

Basel, Switzerland, 10 October 2001 -- Novartis announced today results of an   
international study, "Truth In IBS", that found IBS affects up to 12% of the    
population, and that under-diagnosis and lack of effective treatment create a   
considerable burden on patients and healthcare systems. Additional data from a  
multicentre study reinforced that Zelmac(R) (tegaserod) is safe and             
well-tolerated in relieving the multiple symptoms of IBS (abdominal             
pain/discomfort, bloating, and constipation). Both studies were presented today 
at the 9th annual United European Gastroenterology Week (UEGW) meeting in       
Amsterdam.                                                                      

"Truth In IBS" study                                                            
To assess the global prevalence and impact of IBS, the "Truth In IBS" study was 
conducted in nine countries: the UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands,         
Switzerland, Spain, Italy, France and the US. "This large, international study  
provides compelling new evidence that IBS is a debilitating condition for which 
there is no single effective treatment," said Professor Jan Tack, study author  
and staff member at the Department of Gastroenterology and Principal Researcher,
Centre for Gastroenterological Research at the University Leuven, Belgium.      

The study found that the prevalence of IBS in Europe ranges from 6% in the      
Netherlands to 12% in Italy, including patients who have been formally diagnosed
for the condition and those who have not. Women were predominantly affected,    
averaging between 63% and 74% of identified IBS sufferers in the nine countries.
Diagnosed and undiagnosed sufferers were all ages, with an average of 43 years. 
Significantly, researchers also found that more than 90% of IBS cases in Europe 
have not been diagnosed.1                                                       

The study was conducted in two phases, the first consisting of 5 000 screening  
calls in each country to identify diagnosed and undiagnosed IBS sufferers.      
Undiagnosed patients were identified using Manning, Rome I and Rome II          
diagnostic criteria captured through questionnaires concerning each patient's   
experience with abdominal pain, bowel function and bloating.2-4 In the second   
phase of the study, follow-up phone interviews with identified sufferers        
collected further information about the impact of IBS on their lives.           

                                                       Page 51 of 56 Total Pages

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Interviews determined that 89% of IBS sufferers experienced bloating, 85%       
constipation, and 76% abdominal pain. A majority said that IBS affected their   
diet (69%), concentration (60%) and physical appearance (54%), and said the     
symptoms have reduced their productivity at work (60%). A majority of IBS       
sufferers had been to healthcare professionals (90% to a primary care physician)
regarding their symptoms with 17% going to a hospital at least once relating to 
their condition. The study also revealed IBS patients find currently available  
treatments to be largely ineffective against bloating (89%), constipation (85%) 
and abdominal pain (76%).                                                       

Multicentre dose-titration study                                                
Also at the UEGW meeting, data was presented from a long-term safety and        
tolerability study5 which found 62% of IBS patients reported considerable relief
of symptoms at 12 months when treated with Zelmac. The multicentre,             
dose-titration study evaluated 579 patients to reinforce past studies that      
established the safety of Zelmac. As in previous studies, Zelmac was found to be
safe and well-tolerated with mild side effects, the most common being transient 
diarrhoea (10%) and headache (8%). Patients treated with Zelmac showed no       
haematological or biochemical abnormalities. Blood pressure and pulse rate      
remained normal, as did the results of urinalysis.                              

Previous clinical trials5-8 involving more than 4 500 patients found that two   
thirds of patients treated with Zelmac experienced overall symptom relief,      
including improvements in abdominal pain/discomfort and constipation. The       
majority had relief within one week.4,5 Zelmac has been shown to reduce         
abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating and constipation (p<0.05) in patients with  
IBS.7,8 The drug was well-tolerated with an adverse event profile similar to    
that of placebo, with the exception of headache and diarrhoea, which in most    
cases was mild and transient.5,6 Discontinuations based on adverse events were  
6.8% for the Zelmac treated group compared with 4.8% for the placebo group in   
the final trial.8                                                               

Zelmac is approved for the treatment of abdominal pain, bloating and            
constipation in IBS patients in Mexico, Venezuela, Columbia and the Czech       
Republic. The Swiss Health Authority, Intercantonal Office for the Control of   
Medicines (IKS), is expected to rule on marketing approval for the treatment in 
the near future. Novartis remains committed to working with the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal       
Products (EMEA) and other regulatory authorities to help bring the benefits of  
this new therapy to patients in need.                                           

The foregoing press release contains certain forward-looking statements related 
to the business of Novartis, which can be identified by the use of              
forward-looking terminology such as "new", "create a considerable burden",      
"well-tolerated", "compelling new evidence", "considerable relief", "are        
expected to follow suit", "remains committed" 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. Management's expectation regarding the commercial potential of      
tegaserod in any market could be affected by, among 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.                                                          

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in 
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In     
2000, the Novartis                                                              

                                                       Page 52 of 56 Total Pages

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Group's ongoing businesses achieved collective sales of CHF 29.1 billion (USD   
17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9 billion). The Group  
invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in R&D. Novartis AG is 
headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis Group companies employ about 70   
000 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further      
information please consult http://www.novartis.com.                             

 # # #

References                                                                      
1.   Hungin APS, et al. Prevalence and impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome on    
Patients' Lives - An International Study. Presented at the 9th annual 
United European Gastroenterology Week (UEGW) meeting, Oct. 10th, 2001,
Amsterdam, Holland.                                                   
2.   Thompson WG, et al. Functional bowel disease and functional abdominal pain.
Gastoenterol Int 1992;5:75-91.                                        
3.   Thompson WG, et al. Functional bowel disease and functional abdominal pain.
Gut 1999;45(suppl.11):1143-1147.                                      
4.   Manning AP, et al. Towards positive diagnosis of the irritable bowel. B Med
J 1978;2:653-4.                                                       
5.   Muller-Lissner S, et al. Long-term safety and tolerability of tegaserod in 
    patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Presented at the 9th annual United
   European Gastroenterolgy Week (UEGW) meeting, Oct. 10th, 2001, Amsterdam,
Holland.                                                              
6.   Integrated safety summary, December 2000. Novartis, data on file.          
7.   Muller-Lissner S, et al. Tegaserod, a 5-HT4 partial agonist, relieves      
     symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome patients with abdominal pain, bloating
and constipation. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2001;16:1655-1666.           
8.   Lefkowitz M, et al. Tegaserod provides relief of symptoms in female        
    patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) suffering from abdominal pain
and discomfort, bloating and constipation. (Abstr). Gastroenterology  
2001;12:A104.                                                         

                                                       Page 53 of 56 Total Pages

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                                                     Novartis International AG
                                                  Novartis Communication
                                         CH-4002 Basel
                                      Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                                Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                               Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                            Internet Adress:
                                                   http://www.novartis.com

 PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT - ANNONCE PREALABLE - VORANKUNDIGUNG

Basel, 5.10.2001                                                                

To the Editors                                                                  
Please note that we will publish our 2001 nine-month and third-quarter sales on 
Thursday 11 October 2001 at approximately 7.30 a.m. (Swiss time) through the    
usual channels. Enhanced reporting methods have enabled us to bring the         
publication date forward by seven days.                                         

 *

Hinweis an die Redaktionen                                                      
Wir bitten Sie um Kenntnisnahme, dass wir unsere Umsatzentwicklung neun Monate  
und drittes Quartal 2001 auf dem ublichen Weg am Donnerstag, 11. Oktober 2001,  
um ca. 7.30 Uhr (Schweizer Zeit) publizieren werden. Dank beschleunigter        
Berichterstattungsmethoden konnte das Publikationsdatum um sieben Tage          
vorverlegt werden.                                                              

 *

A l'attention des redactions                                                    
Nous aimerions vous informer que le chiffre d'affaires du Groupe Novartis pour  
les neuf premiers mois ainsi que pour le troisieme trimestre 2001 sera publie   
par la voie habituelle le jeudi 11 octobre 2001 a environ 7h30 (heure suisse).  
Grace a l'acceleration des systemes de comptabilite la date de publication a pu 
etre avancee de sept jours.                                                     

 *

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                                                 Novartis International AG
                                              Novartis Communication
                                     CH-4002 Basel
                                  Switerland
Novartis Logo                                                                   
                                            Tel  +41 61 324 2200
                                           Fax +41 61 324 3300
                                        Internet Adress:
                                               http://www.novartis.com

 - INVITATION FOR TELEPHONE CONFERENCE -

Nine Months 2001 Sales

Please note that we will publish our 2001 nine-month and third-quarter sales on 
Thursday 11 October 2001 at approximately 7:30 a.m. (Swiss time) through the    
usual channels. Enhanced reporting methods have enabled us to bring the         
publication date forward by seven days.                                         

Date:                Thursday, October 11, 2001                                 

Time:                     5:30 p.m.  Switzerland                                
4:30 p.m.  UK               
11:30 a.m.  New York          

Phone numbers:       +41 91 610 41 11 or "Free Phone" +800 2467 8700            
(Europe and ROW)                      

+1 800 860 2442   USA                 

You may access the conference call as a live audio webcast on the Internet:     
http://www.novartis.com/investors (see Upcoming Events). This site is already   
available for tests and for the submission of questions in advance.             

- Telephone Playback -

Date:                        Thursday, October 11, 2001                         

Time:                        7:00 p.m. for 48 hrs                               

Phone numbers:               +41 91 610 25 00 (Europe and ROW)                  

+1 877 344 7529       

Code:                        195                                                

                                                       Page 55 of 56 Total Pages

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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:    November 7, 2001                         By:  /s/ RAYMUND BREU         
                                                      --------------------------

                                       Name:  Raymund Breu
                                                  Title: Chief Financial Officer

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Dates Referenced Herein and Documents Incorporated by Reference

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Filed on:	11/7/01	56
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Novartis AG – ‘6-K’ for 10/31/01

On: Wednesday, 11/7/01 · For: 10/31/01 · Accession #: 947871-1-500965 · File #: 1-15024

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

6-K — Report of a Foreign Private Issuer — form6k_110601

Dates Referenced Herein and Documents Incorporated by Reference

Report of a Foreign Private Issuer — Form 6-K
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