Novartis AG
Company History
Novartis History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1996 in Basel, Switzerland
When was Novartis founded?
Novartis was founded in 1996 in Basel, Switzerland by Daniel Vasella and Alex Krauer, making it 30 years old.
- Founded
- 1996
- Founding place
- Basel, Switzerland
- Founders
- Daniel Vasella and Alex Krauer
- Headquarters today
- Basel, Switzerland
- Milestones documented
- 14 (1859–2026)
- Current CEO
- Vasant Narasimhan
- Acquisitions
- 6
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1859 | Founding of Ciba |
| 1886 | Founding of Sandoz |
| 1996 | Merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz |
| 2006 | Acquisition of Chiron Corporation |
| 2010 | Acquisition of Alcon |
| 2015 | DOJ Settlement |
| 2018 | Vas Narasimhan Appointed CEO |
| 2023 | Acquisition of Chinook Therapeutics |
| 2023 | Spin-off of Sandoz |
| 2024 | Acquisition of MorphoSys |
| 2025 | FY2025 Financial Results |
| 2025 | Entresto Generic Entry |
| 2026 | Avidity Biosciences Acquisition Closes |
| 2026 | HARBOR Phase 3 Miss |
- Where was Novartis founded?
- Novartis was founded in Basel, Switzerland in 1996.
- Who founded Novartis?
- Novartis was founded by Daniel Vasella and Alex Krauer.
- When did Novartis start?
- Novartis was founded in 1996.
- How old is Novartis?
- Novartis is 30 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Novartis's defining scientific story is Gleevec (imatinib). In the 1990s, Ciba-Geigy chemist Nicholas Lydon worked with Oregon Health & Science University oncologist Brian Druker on a molecule designed to block the BCR-ABL protein that drives chronic myeloid leukemia. The market was small and internal support was uncertain, but early trials showed striking responses. The FDA approved Gleevec in May 2001, and it turned a usually fatal leukemia into a condition many patients manage for years with a daily pill, helping launch the era of targeted cancer therapy.
Founders
Daniel Vasella
Novartis was formed in December 1996 when Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz merged in a deal valued at roughly $27 billion, then among the largest corporate mergers on record. Its roots go back to Geigy (1758), Ciba (1859) and Sandoz (1886), all Basel dye and chemical firms that moved into pharmaceuticals in the early 20th century. Ciba and Geigy combined in 1970. The name Novartis comes from the Latin "novae artes," or new skills. Vasella led the combined company as CEO for its first 14 years. Daniel Vasella was born in 1953 in Fribourg. Education: University of Bern; Harvard Business School.
Alex Krauer
Alex Krauer was the first chairman of Novartis, serving from the company's formation through the roughly $27 billion merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz in 1996 until 1999, when the board named CEO Daniel Vasella to replace him as chairman. Daniel Vasella, who came from the Sandoz pharmaceuticals business, led the new company's management as CEO. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Founding of Ciba
Silk dyer Alexander Clavel began producing the synthetic dye fuchsine in Basel, Switzerland, marking the origin of Ciba, part of the Ciba-Geigy half of the Novartis merger.
Source: live.novartis.comFounding of Sandoz
Alfred Kern and Edouard Sandoz founded the chemical company Kern & Sandoz in Basel, establishing the second half of the corporate lineage that would eventually merge to form Novartis.
Source: live.novartis.comMerger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz
Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz completed their merger in December 1996, a deal valued at roughly $27 billion, creating Novartis AG.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquisition of Chiron Corporation
Novartis acquired the US biotechnology company Chiron Corporation for $5.1 billion, significantly expanding its vaccine and oncology franchises.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquisition of Alcon
Novartis completed the acquisition of the remaining stake in Alcon, the world's largest eye care company, for approximately $28 billion, creating a dominant position in ophthalmology.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDOJ Settlement
Novartis paid $390 million to resolve US allegations that it gave kickbacks to specialty pharmacies to promote Exjade and Myfortic.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgVas Narasimhan Appointed CEO
Vas Narasimhan became CEO at age 41, one of the youngest leaders of a major pharmaceutical company, initiating a strategic review that would eventually lead to the Sandoz spin-off.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquisition of Chinook Therapeutics
Novartis acquired Chinook Therapeutics for $3.2 billion upfront plus $300 million in milestones, securing late-stage assets for rare kidney diseases.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSpin-off of Sandoz
On October 4, 2023, Novartis completed the 100% spin-off of its Sandoz generics division, transforming into a pure-play innovative medicines company.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquisition of MorphoSys
Novartis acquired German biotech MorphoSys for about EUR 2.7 billion ($2.9 billion), adding the investigational myelofibrosis drug pelabresib.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFY2025 Financial Results
Novartis reported FY2025 net sales of $54.5 billion, up 8%, with a core operating margin above 40% and free cash flow of $17.6 billion.
Source: novartis.comEntresto Generic Entry
US generic versions of Entresto, Novartis's largest product, launched in 2025, starting the steepest patent cliff in the company's post-Sandoz history.
Source: novartis.comAvidity Biosciences Acquisition Closes
On February 27, 2026, Novartis completed its roughly $12 billion acquisition of Avidity Biosciences, adding antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates for DM1, Duchenne and FSHD.
Source: novartis.comHARBOR Phase 3 Miss
In September 2026, del-desiran missed the primary endpoint of the 159-patient Phase 3 HARBOR trial in myotonic dystrophy type 1, and NVS shares fell about 12.5% in pre-market trading.
Source: fiercebiotech.comMajor Acquisitions
Avidity Biosciences
2026Novartis bought Avidity for about $12 billion to acquire antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates for neuromuscular diseases: del-desiran (DM1), delpacibart zotadirsen (Duchenne) and delpacibart braxlosiran (FSHD).
MorphoSys AG
2024Novartis paid about EUR 2.7 billion ($2.9 billion) for MorphoSys mainly to obtain pelabresib, an investigational BET inhibitor for myelofibrosis.
Chinook Therapeutics
2023Novartis paid $3.2 billion upfront plus up to $300 million in milestones for Chinook, gaining atrasentan and zigakibart for IgA nephropathy and other rare kidney diseases.
The Medicines Company
2020Novartis acquired The Medicines Company for $9.7 billion primarily to gain control of the cholesterol-lowering drug inclisiran, a small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy.
Advanced Accelerator Applications
2018Novartis acquired Advanced Accelerator Applications for $3.9 billion to establish a foothold in the emerging field of radioligand therapy for cancer.
Chiron Corporation
2006Novartis paid about $5.1 billion for the roughly 56% of Chiron it did not already own, gaining vaccines, blood-testing and biopharma businesses.
Keep researching Novartis
Novartis Company History FAQ
What are the historic milestones that define the evolution of Novartis AG?
Key milestones include: founding origins of Geigy (1758), Ciba (1859), and Sandoz (1886); merger creating Novartis (1996); launch of Gleevec (2001); creation of NIBR (2002); launch of Cosentyx (2015); launch of Entresto (2015); FDA approval of first CAR-T Kymriah (2017); acquisition of AveXis and launch of Zolgensma (2018-2019); spinoff of Alcon (2019); sale of Roche stake (2021); FDA approval of Pluvicto (2022); and spinoff of Sandoz (2023).
How did the 1996 Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz merger set the benchmark for European life sciences?
In March 1996, the announcement of the 60 billion CHF merger between Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz shocked the financial world; the combined entity shed industrial commodity chemicals (spinning off Ciba Specialty Chemicals and Clariant) to focus entirely on healthcare and agribusiness.
How did Gleevec become the historic breakthrough for targeted precision oncology in 2001?
In 2001, Gleevec proved that understanding specific genetic and enzymatic cancer drivers could create a pill that eliminates cancer cells without the debilitating toxicity of traditional chemotherapy, appearing on the cover of TIME magazine as a 'miracle weapon to fight cancer'.
When did Novartis launch Cosentyx and how did it establish immunology leadership?
In 2015, Novartis launched Cosentyx (secukinumab), the first fully human monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to interleukin-17A (IL-17A), transforming treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, growing into a $5B+ blockbuster.
How did Entresto transform chronic heart failure management in 2015?
Approved in 2015 based on the landmark PARADIGM-HF clinical trial, Entresto demonstrated a 20% reduction in cardiovascular death compared to standard-of-care enalapril, establishing itself as the gold-standard foundation of heart failure guideline-directed medical therapy worldwide.
What occurred during the historic spinoff of Sandoz in October 2023?
On October 4, 2023, Novartis completed the 100% spinoff of its Sandoz generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals division on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker: SDZ), successfully completing its multi-year strategic roadmap to become a 100% focused innovative medicines company.
When did Pluvicto receive FDA approval and how did it transform prostate cancer care?
In March 2022, the FDA approved Pluvicto (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) for PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, establishing Radioligand Therapy as a major fourth pillar of oncology alongside surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
What is Novartis's corporate vision for the next decade of biopharmaceutical medicine?
Novartis aims to bend the curve of life by developing transformative, disease-modifying therapies that prevent, halt, or cure complex cardiovascular, immunological, and oncological diseases, expanding global access so life-saving medicines reach patients everywhere.
Related Companies
Compare Novartis AG History With Competitors
Related Strategic History
Compare founding milestones and corporate evolution
Explore Novartis
Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.