Highlights in the Year 2015

8. 1. 2015 |
Sandoz, a Novartis company, announced yesterday that US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) recommended approval of its investigational biosimilar filgrastim in the US. The Committee also recommended approval of the biosimilar for use in all indications included in the reference product’s label.
28. 1. 2015 |
At a ceremony held on 22 January 2015 at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, the Maks Samec awards and recognitions for 2014 were presented for the best doctoral thesis in the field of chemistry, the best doctoral thesis in the field of chemical engineering and chemical technology and for services and merits to the Faculty in the year 2014. On this occasion, the Faculty also wanted to thank all the companies and individuals who shared their knowledge and resources to help the Faculty on its education and research path.
2. 3. 2015 |
Sandoz today announced the launch of a new program, New Life & New Hope, to improve maternal and child health and reduce mortality associated with childbirth. The program, ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, kicks-off with the completion of the first in a series of Sandoz-sponsored trainings to improve obstetric knowledge among midwives in Ethiopia.
17. 3. 2015 |
Sandoz, a Novartis company, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Sandoz biosimilar filgrastim (filgrastim-sndz) for all indications included in the reference product’s label. Sandoz is the first company to receive approval of a biosimilar in the US through the new FDA biosimilars pathway established under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act. The approval was based on a comprehensive package of analytical, nonclinical, and clinical data, which confirmed that Sandoz biosimilar filgrastim is highly similar to the US-licensed reference product. The approval of Sandoz biosimilar filgrastim follows the unanimous positive vote in January by the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC).
23. 3. 2015 |
Lek, a Sandoz company, has officially opened the digitized Lavička Collection, the most comprehensive pharmaceutical-medical museum in Slovenia. With the digitization of this collection they have significantly broadened access to this rich and unique source of knowledge, as all information about books, medical and pharmaceutical accessories, artefacts and other exhibits from the museum are now also available in verbal, pictorial and video form online and are accessible to everyone.
13. 4. 2015 |
Novartis associates from all divisions across Slovenia, in Ljubljana, Mengeš, Lendava, Kranjska Gora and Prevalje, have joined forces on the occasion of already the 11th Community Partnership Day focusing their energy on helping individuals and non-governmental organizations. Lending a helping hand as volunteers in April and May, they will touch the lives of people across Slovenia, from Piran to Lendava. Throughout these years, Lek pensioners have regularly joined the volunteering employees, which have nurtured intergenerational cooperation in the company.
22. 4. 2015 |
Probiotics help preserve the balance of the intestinal microbiota, as well as support the function of our immune and digestive system, and are thus important for our health. As a part of Lek, a Sandoz company’s, efforts to promote healthier living, we are launching the Balans program (www.linex-probio.com), a custom-made lifestyle program, based on simple but effective exercises, healthy recipes and tips and tricks that will guide people through their daily challenges.
15. 5. 2015 |
On Sunday, 35 top science students from the region will once again gather in Ljubljana to discuss new strategies for treatment of autoimmune diseases with speakers and mentors at the Regional BioCamp 2015. Lek, a Sandoz company, which has been organizing this top science event for five consecutive years, will have hosted in Slovenia a total of 175 of the most promising students from the region.
20. 5. 2015 |
Yesterday evening, Lek, a Sandoz company, concluded the Regional BioCamp 2015 with the announcement of the winners. Among the 35 most promising science students from the region, Žiga Perko and Julian Kellner showed the best individual performance in preparing a case study and transferring the acquired knowledge into practical work. Both winners will participate in the Novartis global BioCamp 2015 in Basel in Switzerland in August. Laura Avogaro, Andonela Janeva, Zlatko Joncev, Julian Kellner, Daniela Milosheska, Janja Mirtič in Omar Naneh proved themselves as the best performing team.
9. 7. 2015 |
Summer is commonly associated with carefree leisure time, joy and fun. This is especially true for children. In order to enable this for as many children as possible, the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth (SAFY) has organized, with the support of Lek, a Sandoz company, the humanitarian campaign Wink at the Sun for the 17th year in a row. This year, more than 115,830 EUR was collected through this campaign to enable free holidays for children from disadvantaged family backgrounds. This amount also includes funds contributed by FIHO. This means that 351 children from deprived family backgrounds will enjoy free holidays this year. Since the start of the Wink at the Sun campaign, free holidays have been made possible for over 10,600 children. This year, FIHO funds will also allow 72 children with special needs to take part in free holidays.
28. 8. 2015 |
Today, the centre of Maribor was filled with children having fun at the Funny Olympics and Lek Sunshine Games to celebrate the end of the holidays. As a part of the so-called Holidays with Friends, as the Maribor Friends of Youth Association (FYA) named their summer activities, 150 children from the humanitarian initiative A Wink at the Sun enjoyed free holidays financed with the help of FIHO funds and other donation campaigns by Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth (SAFY) and FYA Maribor. A Wink at the Sun initiative by SAFY, enabling free holidays for children from socially disadvantaged families has been supported by Lek, a Sandoz company, for 17 years. FIHO contributed funds to enable holidays for 72 children with special needs. 
3. 9. 2015 |
Sandoz, a Novartis company, announced today that Zarxio™ (filgrastim-sndz) is now available in the United States. Zarxio is the first biosimilar approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the first to launch in the US. 
9. 9. 2015 |
Today, Red Noses, the clown doctors, and Lek, a Sandoz company, formally initiated the regular visits of clown doctors at the Pediatrics Ward of the General Hospital Murska Sobota. This morning, Red Noses already visited the Pediatrics Department, setting off good mood, high spirits, and laughter among children and their parents, employees of the Hospital as well as journalists followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony. 
16. 9. 2015 |
Researchers from Lek, a Sandoz company, received two golden awards bestowed by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the best innovation at the national level. The acknowledgements for the best innovators were presented by the president of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor at the Innovation Day 2015 held at Brdo pri Kranju, for the development of an artificial stomach and intestines for the analysis of the development of complex solid pharmaceutical forms and for the discovery and development of a catalytic synthesis method for the preparation of key intermediate of the active ingredient for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. 
16. 9. 2015 |
At the Lendava site of Lek, a Sandoz company, a new, state-of-the-art packaging center was officially opened in the presence of Simonetta Sommaruga, the President of the Swiss Confederation, and Miro Cerar, PhD, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia. Lendava Packaging Center is one of two strategic Sandoz packing centers and will, in line with the strategy, dynamically grow further.
23. 9. 2015 |
Lek, a Sandoz company, has retained the role of an important employer in Central Slovenia, Koroška and Prekmurje. The number of employees was raised last year in Prevalje by 15%, Mengeš by 11%, Lendava by 4% and Ljubljana by 2%. The company had 3,124 full-time employees as at the year-end, a 5% increase from 2013. All major indicators of environmental performance have been improved and investments in environmental protection have continued within the scope of intensive investment activities. An overview of economic, environmental and social impacts of their operations has been presented in the recently published Sustainability Report of Lek d.d. for 2014. 
28. 9. 2015 |
Lek, a Sandoz company, is organizing a fifth Be Healthy Celebration Week, a central event of the Novartis Be Healthy initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of employees. In the week from 28 September to 2 October, more than 3,000 associates from Ljubljana, Mengeš, Lendava and Prevalje sites will work and think in a particularly healthy manner. Petra Majdič along with her team and the Slovenian Society Helping Paws with their therapeutic dogs will make sure to add some extra fun and excitement to the occasion. 
5. 10. 2015 |
Since 1954, the first week of October has been dedicated especially to children. In this year’s Children’s Week, between 7 and 11 October, the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth (SAFY) will underscore the importance of good communication between children, young people and adults. The motto of this year’s campaign is “I have something to tell you”. 
7. 10. 2015 |
The first week in October has been dedicated to children since 1954. In this year’s Children’s Week, organized by the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth (SAFY) between 5 and 11 October, creative workshops for children are being held also in Koroška region, with a support of Lek, a Sandoz company. The associates from Lek, who are volunteers, are preparing on Wednesday and Thursday, 7 and 8 October, a mini-laboratory with interesting experiments for children at six primary schools in the region: at Prevalje, Mežica, Črna na Koroškem and Ravne na Koroškem. 
7. 10. 2015 |
The Lendava site of Lek, a Sandoz company, opened its door to the local community. They presented two key areas of their business operation that take place at the site, i.e. the Production of Anti-infectives and the Lendava Packaging Center. Through the development of activities over recent years, the site has considerably strengthened and become an important part of Sandoz, one of the leading global generic pharmaceutical companies. In Lendava, the company has also been expanding environmental investment in order to further reduce the impact of its operations on the environment. 
14. 10. 2015 |
On October 13, 2015 in Madrid, Sandoz picked-up three accolades at the Global Generics & Biosimilars Awards hosted by the Generics Bulletin including Company of the Year. 
23. 10. 2015 |
Lek Pharmaceuticals, a Sandoz company, received the TOP 10 Education Management Award for the 13th time in a row. Planet GV and the Education Management Institute Sofos award ten Slovenian companies, which invested the most intensely and systematically in the education of employees over the last year. 
23. 10. 2015 |
On the day before the International Day of People with Disabilities inLek, a Sandoz company, an exhibition by the photographer Matej Peljhan will be opened in the Lek Gallery. Photographs called The Little Prince are showing different perspectives of the lives of disabled people. The author tells us how handicapped human bodies can also reveal beauty and unique perfection. He creates communication and thus encourages diversity through his photographs. At the opening ceremony not only the photographs will be shown, but also his short animated documentary of the same name The Little Prince, featuring a boy with muscular dystrophy for which he received the Vesna Award for SpecialAchievements at the 18th Festival of Slovenian Film. The photographs will be on display until 29 January, 2016.