Vasant Narasimhan

Chief Executive Officer, Novartis

Search every verified Vasant Narasimhan interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Vasant Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis, discussed the company's second-quarter 2024 performance in a July 21 interview, noting that the first half of the year involved navigating "the largest expertise in our history" while the second half is focused on investing in the pipeline and launches to sustain 5 to 6% growth. He stated that despite a "big beat" in the quarter, the company chose not to raise full-year guidance to maintain investment levels, with a reevaluation planned for the third quarter. Narasimhan also addressed patent expirations for drugs like Entresto and Cosentyx, expressing confidence that Novartis can grow through 2031 with assets such as Pluvicto and Kisqali. Narasimhan commented on the company's acquisition strategy, stating that larger deals are evaluated when they bring new capabilities and late-stage assets in core therapeutic areas, citing acquisitions like Avidity, The Medicines Company, and two radio ligand therapy companies. He described radio ligand therapy as a potential $25 to $30 billion segment and noted that Novartis has built manufacturing capacity, including eight facilities in the US and a network in Europe and Asia, to support over 900 sites in the US and 800 internationally. He also expressed concern about the European market, stating that only 60% of new medicines are launched in a timely manner there and predicting that percentage could decline further.