For All the Right Reasons

In pursuing our mission to ease suffering and enhance the quality of life around the globe, Novartis is proud to build upon the scientific expertise of Chiron. We will focus on furthering critical vaccines research while working to assure a strong supply line that can reliably deliver vaccines worldwide.

Novartis Vaccines is the world's fifth-largest vaccines business. Novartis Vaccines is the world's second-largest manufacturer of flu vaccines and has important meningococcal, pediatric and travel vaccine franchises. The company's portfolio of products includes vaccines for influenza, meningitis, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, Haemophilus influenzae B (Hib), polio, mumps, measles and rubella and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough).

Influenza Vaccines

Worldwide, there are an estimated 3-5 million cases of flu and up to 500,000 deaths every year. In addition to the tremendous loss of life, the global impact on economic productivity is enormous. Every year, influenza viruses spread rapidly around the world in seasonal epidemics that result in a massive economic cost from millions of lost work days, hospitalizations and fatalities. Recent estimates put the cost of an influenza epidemic at up to US$167 billion per year in the United States alone. As a consequence, many governments support annual influenza vaccination campaigns, and the WHO recommends that anyone considered at high risk should be vaccinated. Novartis Vaccines offers a unique portfolio of influenza vaccines designed to serve individual patients' needs.

Pandemic Flu

The 1918-19 flu pandemic killed more people in Europe than World War I. Back then, it took four months for the pandemic to spread from one side of the world to the other. With the current world population six times higher than in 1918 and the greater speed and ease of travel, the next pandemic could be even more devastating.

Many experts now believe that the source of the next global pandemic may be found in the form of the highly virulent H5N1 avian influenza virus. With the threat of global flu pandemic pending, Novartis Vaccines’ top priority is to ensure a supply of much-needed safe and effective vaccines. Novartis Vaccines is working to honor all contracts to provide stockpiles of H5N1 bulk influenza vaccine(1). This includes existing commitments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the UK and other Governments. In addition, the company is working to further strengthen production capabilities both for H5N1 vaccine stockpiles and for supply of vaccine in the case of a pandemic.

Meningococcal Vaccines

Meningococcal meningitis kills 5-10% of all those who develop this condition and bacterial meningitis can result in permanent disability in 10-20% of survivors. WHO estimates that a mass vaccination campaign could avoid 70% of cases of meningococcal disease. Since the routine use of meningococcal C conjugate vaccine in the UK cases have fallen by more than 90%. One of the most disturbing aspects of meningococcal infection is the speed with which it progresses. Meningococcal meningitis infection is characterized by high fever, vomiting and confusion, which can lead in just a few hours to death. If untreated, up to 50% of cases result in death. That is why Novartis Vaccines is focused on developing vaccines against the five key subtypes of the meningococcal bacteria that cause meningitis.

Travel Vaccines

Novartis Vaccines produces some of the world’s most innovative and widely used vaccines against rabies and tick-borne encephalitis, diseases of particular concern to travelers.

Pediatric Vaccines

Through partnerships with WHO, UNICEF, PAHO and others, we deliver hundreds of millions of vaccines every year to help protect the next generation from diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella and polio.

Polio is just one example of how immunization is succeeding in eradicating a major cause of disability and suffering. Polio is a highly infectious disease that invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, normally of the legs. And of those infected 5-10% die.

During 2001-2, more than 500 million children were immunized in 93 countries during 266 immunization campaigns. Novartis Vaccines’ Polioral™ polio vaccine is part of the global campaign to eradicate this disease. Novartis Vaccines is committed to the drive to rid the world of this disease.

Adult Vaccines

Novartis Vaccines also produces vaccines that protect millions of adults from life-threatening illnesses such as tetanus and diphtheria.