Novartis Sets Up Global Fund for Coronavirus Pandemic

Novartis announced measures it is taking against coronavirus (COVID-19), which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. These measures include establishing a global fund to support communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak around the world and deciding to participate in cross-sector research and development initiatives. Under the COVID-19 Response Fund, Novartis will provide USD 20 million in grants to help communities manage the difficulties created by the outbreak and support public health initiatives. The company will ensure rapid approval and distribution of requests made by official institutions. The COVID-19 Response Fund will provide financial grants for initiatives focused on, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Strengthening local and national health infrastructure, including financing additional health personnel, procurement of medicines and medical supplies,
• Establishing digital platforms for COVID-19 data collection, remote delivery of health services and effective dissemination of critical public health information,
• Creating or developing new community health programs in response to the outbreak.

Research and development collaboration against coronavirus outbreak

Novartis announced its support for the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator initiative, coordinated by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and Mastercard, and also collaborated with the European Union's pharmaceutical research initiative. These cross-sector collaborations bring together many pharmaceutical companies and expert academic institutions, enabling them to conduct coordinated research. In addition to these efforts, Novartis is contributing by providing various compounds deemed suitable for in vitro antiviral tests in response to the urgent call for research and development action against coronavirus made by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Furthermore, beyond the approved indications of its existing products, the company is rapidly continuing research and development work by investigating whether there are any benefits against the outbreak. Novartis Global Chief Executive Officer Dr. Vasant Narasimhan said, "We are facing an extraordinary and unprecedented public health crisis that requires an unprecedented level of engagement and collaboration between government, community and business. As a company serving more than 140 countries, we are taking initial steps to provide additional financial support to critical communities or national programs that could help meet the urgent public health needs caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Recognizing the power of working together, through two important collaborations we are undertaking, we are sharing the capabilities of our industry-leading research and development organization with these initiatives."

Novartis headquarters and field employees working from home until end of March

Closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak, Novartis places great importance on the health of both patients and employees during this period. The company's primary concern is the health and safety of employees and patients worldwide. Novartis continues to deliver its medicines to patients and healthcare providers around the world and foresees the continuity of the supply chain without disruption through the measures it has taken. The company has also activated contingency plans to ensure continuous medicine supply and smooth operations for more than 500 clinical trials. As part of efforts to protect employee health, starting 16 March, Novartis employees in the US, Europe and Canada (excluding laboratory, manufacturing areas and field workers) transitioned to working from home. Novartis Turkey also launched the work-from-home arrangement for its employees, including field teams, in line with global implementation. Novartis has also accelerated the use of digital technologies to support internal communication and reach health professionals and patients.