Lek receives honorary certificate from Jožef Stefan Institute

“Lek Pharmaceuticals has been a leading Slovene company for decades, for whom research and development have been an important factor of success. In the area of research, cooperation with researchers from the Jožef Stefan Institute as well as other scientific institutions is very important, since excellence and creativity in basic research are the foundations for tomorrow’s innovation. The research environment in Slovenia, with its highly set goals and extremely well educated researchers, is an important area of cooperation and a source of new personnel for industry. It is exceptionally important to attract the most modern researchers, who are capable of generating new knowledge and creating added value for the company,” said President of the Lek Board of Management Janja Bratoš upon accepting the award.

Lek is present in the Slovene research field in several areas of research, especially in the natural sciences and medicine, and cooperates with more than twenty Slovene universities and institutes. Its research successes to date would not have been possible without cooperation with a well-branched network of individuals and institutions, including the Jožef Stefan Institute, the National Institute of Chemistry, the Faculty of Pharmacy, the Biotechnical Faculty, the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and others.

With its investments in research and development, which are continuing within the Novartis system, Lek, a new Sandoz company conforms to increasingly demanding international standards for its most important processes, while at the same time ensuring increased productivity and company development. Intensive investment is the foundation for the growth of operations.

At the Lek Research and Development department, whose chief orientation is intensive R&D work in areas with a high level of innovation, both in the area of new technologies and technological bases and in new products, active pharmaceutical ingredients and pharmaceutical products are developed following current medical and pharmaceutical guidelines.

With a broad range of knowledge of all pharmaceutical technologies, we have developed numerous final dosage forms. Our wide-ranging palette of technologies, experience and knowledge allows our products to be competitive on the global pharmaceuticals market. We develop generic drugs on the basis of numerous ideas and original solutions, as well as innovative technologies for delivering of existing and new active pharmaceutical ingredients.

In addition to intensive investment in the development of pharmaceutical technologies, we also invest in the research and development of active pharmaceutical ingredients and biopharmaceuticals. In these areas as well, our work is connected with a high level of innovativeness and the introduction of totally new technologies both at Lek and in Slovenia. We achieve our common objectives through the operation of multidisciplinary teams made up of professionals in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacy and chemistry.

Within Sandoz, Lek operates as a development center for pharmaceutical formulations, active pharmaceutical ingredients and biopharmaceuticals. Lek d.d.‘s investments in research and development activities in 2004 amounted to SIT 13 billion, which is 10.2% of sales and which is higher than comparable generics companies in the region. A significant share of the funds earmarked for research and development are allocated to cooperation with institutions.

• Lek, a new Sandoz company, is an international pharmaceutical company which operates as a business center on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe and the CIS region, and also markets its products successfully on the US market, in the EU and elsewhere around the world. Lek creates value through the development, manufacturing and sales of pharmaceutical products, active pharmaceutical ingredients and biopharmaceutical products. Lek employs about 4,186 people in various regions and achieved total sales of USD 746.5 million in 2004. For further information please consult http://www.lek.si

Sandoz, a Novartis company, is a leading global supplier of high-quality generic pharmaceuticals. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, Sandoz is a Retail Generics company operating also two Business Units with specific strategic focus – Industrial Products and Biopharmaceuticals. In 2004, Sandoz achieved sales of USD 3.045 billion, employs about 13,400 people and operate in over 120 countries around the world.

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. In 2004, the Group’s business achieved sales of USD 28.2 billion and a net income of USD 5.8 billion. The Group invested approximately USD 4.2 billion in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 81,400 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information, please consult http://www.novartis.com