NOVARTIS N : launches Extavia®, a new therapeutic option to help patients combat devastating symptoms of multiple sclerosis

Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin AS.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this 
announcement. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------    




* Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes progressive disability and affects
  2.5 million people worldwide including many young adults[1]

* Extavia offers patients and physicians a new branded version of
  standard-of-care interferon beta-1b

* Approved to treat MS patients from first signs of active disease to
  more advanced, relapsing forms

* Launch marks start of planned long-term partnership between
  Novartis and MS community

Basel, January 22, 2009 - Novartis has today announced the launch  of
Extavia®, a new version of  the standard-of-care for relapsing  forms
of multiple sclerosis (MS), providing patients and physicians with an
alternative option to help manage this devastating disease.

Extavia, a new  branded version of  interferon beta-1b, is  available
initially in  Germany and  Denmark with  other European  launches  to
follow during  2009.  It  is  approved to  treat  a  broad  range  of
patients, from  those with  early  signs of  MS  to those  with  more
advanced relapsing forms of the disease.

"Extavia will  provide patients  and  physicians with  an  additional
option for receiving a mainstay of  care in MS," said Trevor  Mundel,
MD, Global Head of Development at Novartis Pharma AG. "This important
first step  also  opens the  way  for Novartis  to  build  supportive
partnerships with  the  MS community  and  lays the  foundations  for
providing innovative approaches to MS care."

Extavia is the same medicinal  product as Betaferon®*, an  interferon
beta-1b. This has  a well characterised  efficacy and safety  profile
with more  than 700,000  patient-years' experience[2]  and a  17-year
track record of clinical use - the longest for any interferon beta in
the treatment of MS[3].

MS is estimated to affect up to 2.5 million patients worldwide and is
one of  the  leading  causes  of  neurological  disability  in  young
adults1. The disease typically presents in relapsing forms  involving
acute  self-limiting   attacks   of  neurological   dysfunction   (or
"relapses"), followed by complete or partial restoration of function.

Data have shown that interferon  beta-1b produces a 34% reduction  in
annualized relapse rates (p<0.001), and patients are almost twice  as
likely to remain relapse-free for over two years compared to those on
placebo (31% vs. 16%, p=0.007)[4]. Treatment with interferon  beta-1b
can  also  slow   disease  progression.  After   two  years,   nearly
three-quarters of patients  who had experienced  a single episode  of
neurological disease lasting at  least 24 hours  did not progress  to
clinically definite MS[5].

The launch of Extavia  in Europe by  the Pharmaceuticals Division  of
Novartis marks the beginning  of a long-term  commitment to meet  the
therapeutic  needs  of  the  MS  community.  This  will  include  the
establishment of a support program for Extavia users that will foster
cross-communication between patients and their physicians and nurses.
In  turn,  this  will  lay  the  foundations  for  future   potential
innovations in MS therapy. The rollout of Extavia in key EU countries
is expected during the coming months.

Novartis acquired the rights to its own branded version of interferon
beta-1b in an agreement with Bayer Schering, the company that markets
Betaferon. In  backing  Extavia, Novartis  brings  over 50  years  of
neuroscience expertise  and  resources  to  the  MS  community.  This
expertise has helped to pioneer  early breakthrough treatments for  a
number of  neurological and  pathological conditions,  some of  which
remain important therapies to this day.

MS is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that
causes inflammation and neurodegeneration. Pathology is characterised
by the destruction  of myelin, which  helps neurons carry  electrical
signals in  the brain[6].  The disease  causes problems  with  muscle
control  and  strength,   vision,  balance,   sensation  and   mental
function[6].

The beneficial effects of interferon beta  are believed to be due  to
its modulation of  the immune system  to reduce inflammatory  damage.
Specifically, interferon beta limits  the activation of immune  cells
that  attack  myelin,  suppresses  the  production  of   inflammatory
cytokines -  a  type  of  protein  that  amplifies  the  inflammatory
response causing damage to myelin - and stimulates the production  of
anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Extavia has been filed with the  US Food and Drug Administration  for
the treatment of  relapsing forms of  MS to reduce  the frequency  of
clinical exacerbations  (or  relapses).  Patients  with  MS  in  whom
efficacy has been demonstrated include  those who have experienced  a
first clinical episode and have features consistent with MS as  shown
by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)[7].

Extavia  is  administered  by   subcutaneous  (or  under  the   skin)
injection. Patients will have the choice  of using either a fine  (30
gauge) needle for manual injection or a convenient autoinjector.

* Betaferon® is a registered trademark of Bayer Schering Pharma AG.

Disclaimer
The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be
identified by terminology such as "launches," "planned," "long-term,"
"can," "will," "likely," "commitment," "future," "potential,"
"expected," "estimated," "believed," or similar expressions, or by
express or implied discussions regarding potential additional
marketing approvals for Extavia, the roll-out of Extavia in potential
additional markets, the potential development of additional MS
therapies, or regarding potential future revenues from Extavia or
additional MS therapies. Such forward-looking statements reflect the
current views of the Company regarding future events, and involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may
cause actual results to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
statements. There can be no guarantee that will be approved for sale
in any additional markets. Nor can there be any guarantee that
Extavia will be launched in any additional markets.  Neither can
there be any guarantees that Novartis will successfully develop and
bring to market any additional MS therapies. Nor can there be any
guarantee that Extavia or such additional therapies will achieve any
particular levels of revenue in the future. In particular,
management's expectations regarding Extavia and any such additional
MS therapies could be affected by, among other things, unexpected
regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally;
unexpected clinical trial results, including unexpected new clinical
data and unexpected additional analysis of existing clinical data;
the company's ability to obtain or maintain patent or other
proprietary intellectual property protection; competition in general;
government, industry and general public pricing pressures, and other
risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on
file with the US 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 anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of
this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis
Novartis AG provides healthcare  solutions that address the  evolving
needs of  patients  and  societies.  Focused  solely  on  healthcare,
Novartis offers a  diversified portfolio  to best  meet these  needs:
innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive
vaccines, diagnostic tools and consumer health products. Novartis  is
the only company with leading positions in these areas. In 2007,  the
Group's  continuing  operations   (excluding  divestments  in   2007)
achieved net sales  of USD  38.1 billion and  net income  of USD  6.5
billion. Approximately USD 6.4 billion was invested in R&D activities
throughout the Group. Headquartered  in Basel, Switzerland,  Novartis
Group companies employ approximately 97,000 full-time associates  and
operate in over 140 countries around the world. For more information,
please visit http://www.novartis.com.

References
[1] World Health Organization. Neurology atlas, 2004. Accessed 16 Jan
2009.
http://www.who.int/mental_health/neurology/neurogy_atlas_review_references.pdf
[2] FDA approves Betaseron® for use after the first event suggestive
of multiple sclerosis [press release]. Wayne, NJ: Berlex: 23 October
2006.
[3] Ebers G, Traboulsee A, Langdon D, Goodin D, Konieczny A. The
interferon beta-1b 16-year long-term follow-up study: the results.
Presented at the 16th meeting of the European Neurological Society;
27-31 May, 2006.
[4] The IFNB Multiple Sclerosis Study Group. Interferon beta-1b is
effective in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Neurology.
1993;43:655-661.
[5] Kappos L, Freedman MS, Polman CH, et al. Effect of early versus
delayed interferon beta-1b treatment on disability after a first
clinical event suggestive of multiple sclerosis: a 3-year follow-up
analysis of the BENEFIT study. Lancet. 2007;370:389-97.
[6] National Multiple Sclerosis Society website.
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/symptoms/index.aspx.
Accessed January 12, 2009.
[7] Extavia proposed US Prescribing Information.

                                # # #

Novartis Media Relations


Central media line: [phone]
Eric Althoff                        John Taylor
Novartis Global Media Relations     Novartis Pharma Communications
[phone] (direct)            [phone] (direct)
[phone] (mobile)            [phone] (mobile)
[e-mail]           [e-mail]


e-mail: [e-mail]

Novartis Investor Relations


Central phone:      [phone]
                    7944
Ruth Metzler-Arnold +41 61 324     North America:
                    9980
Pierre-Michel       +41 61 324     Richard Jarvis     [phone]
Bringer             1065
John Gilardi        +41 61 324     Jill Pozarek       [phone]
                    3018
Thomas              +41 61 324     Edwin Valeriano    [phone]
Hungerbuehler       8425
Isabella Zinck      +41 61 324
                    7188

e-mail:                            e-mail:
[e-mail]    [e-mail]


 
--- End of Message ---

Novartis International AG
Posfach Basel 

WKN: 904278; ISIN: 
CH0012005267; Index: SLCI, SMI, SPI, SLIFE;
Listed: Main Market in SIX Swiss Exchange, ZLS in BX Berne eXchange;
http://hugin.info/134323/R/1283987/287611.pdf


Copyright © Hugin AS 2009. All rights reserved.