Novartis was established through the merger of two Swiss companies, Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz, with a collective history that dates back more than 250 years. Building on the rich heritage of advancements in science and health, Novartis has evolved into a company that focuses on developing and delivering innovative solutions to address the unmet needs of patients around the world.
25 years in Japan
“2022 marks 25 years since Novartis was established in Japan,” shared Leo Lee, president and representative director of Novartis Pharma K.K.
“We have brought numerous first-in-class innovations to Japan to address the needs of patients and health care providers, and we continue to support the country’s advanced health care system.”
“We look for solutions with the desire to exceed expectations,” Lee said.
“Looking back at some of the key milestones over the past quarter of a century, we brought the first targeted therapy for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, which dramatically changed the way this disease had been treated,” Lee explained.
We have brought numerous first-in-class innovations to Japan to address the needs of patients and health care providers, and we continue to support the country’s advanced health care system.
Leo Lee, President and Representative Director of Novartis Pharma K.K.
Novartis has also paved the way for the development of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for treating lymphoma and leukemia patients, including children. The therapy arms the patient’s own cells to become more effective in fighting cancer.
Gene therapy for treating babies and infants with spinal muscular atrophy is another field of medicine where Novartis is pioneering. It directly addresses the genetic root cause of the disease by replacing the function of missing or nonworking genes.
“We are proud of the impact our innovations have on improving patients’ quality of life, and the happiness we bring to families continues to inspire us,” Lee said.
“We will continue our endeavor in realizing better experiences and outcomes for patients in Japan.”
Supporting innovations
Committed to supporting scientific advancements in Japan, Novartis supports leading Japanese scientists and contributes through various research initiatives.
The Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) is the company’s global innovation engine. The NIBR has established key partnerships with research institutes and various universities in Japan.
“Building strong ties between our local and global development units also enables better decision-making for clinical trials and a more efficient development process,” Lee explained.
By strengthening our partnership with Japan’s health care providers, we aspire to give more patients access to innovative treatments that help them lead their lives with a high level of productivity and quality of life.
Health care solutions
Novartis is looking for ways to collaborate within the health care system as Japan faces the challenges of an aging society and the consequent rise in the cost of health care.
“Japan’s health care system and its direction would shed light on how to manage an aging population,” Lee explained.
“By strengthening our partnership with Japan’s health care providers, we aspire to give more patients access to innovative treatments that help them lead their lives with a high level of productivity and quality of life,” Lee said.
Today cardiovascular disease is one of Japan’s top social burdens for the middle-aged to elderly population. Novartis is working to raise awareness and improve disease management by partnering with academia, local government authorities and industry partners in various regions within the country.
“Our efforts to better understand the evolving needs of patients and the challenges faced by Japan’s health care system have given us the opportunity to create solutions that really matter,” Lee noted.
“We hope our work will help lay the foundation for further innovation in Japan.” Novartis looks forward to the next 25 years and beyond with determination and the purpose of reimagining medicine for patients.
This article is sponsored by Novartis Pharma K.K.
