Lek allocating 70,000 EUR for the purchase of reanimation cases for Slovenia's public health centers
Yesterday evening, Lek, a Sandoz company, held a ceremony at the fifth anniversary of its anticholesterol drug atorvastatin. The meeting, attended by 300 medical doctors and pharmacists, was opened by Vojmir Urlep, President of the Lek Board of Management, who addressed the participants with a welcome speech. This was followed by the speeches delivered by several Slovenian top-notch, globally recognized experts presenting the latest approaches and achievements in cardiology and cardiosurgery: prof.dr. Mirta Koželj, MD, of the Department of Cardiology, the University Medical Center (UMC) Ljubljana, prof.dr. Borut Geršak, MD, of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, the UMC Ljubljana, and prof.dr. Igor Gregorič, MD, of St. Luke’s Hospital, Texas Heart Institute in Houston, USA.
Atorvastatin, belonging to the group of Lek cardiovascular drugs, is a well-established drug for the treatment of patients with increased levels of blood lipids. Several studies confirmed that a reduction in the content of blood cholesterol significantly slowed the progression of atherosclerosis and thereby reduced the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction or impaired blood supply to the extremities. The Lek formulation of atorvastatin results from research endeavors of Lek’s experts. Its development solutions are internationally recognized, as they have been granted several patents in the field of manufacturing. Lek atorvastatin is currently available in more than 20 countries and approved in more than 30, of which nine EU countries.
Reanimation cases for health centers
Lek took the opportunity to launch a humanitarian campaign called A Gift of Life, aimed at donating all the public health centers of Slovenia funds for the purchase of reanimation cases. “Lek has been assisting health centers of Slovenia in organizing reanimation courses for several years now. The courses provide medical doctors and nurses with new, fresh first aid and reanimation knowledge and skills. It is important for qualified professionals to always have appropriate equipment available. In cooperation with emergency care doctors, we thought of helping all of the Slovenian health centers have reanimation cases available at all times,” said Katja Razinger, Head of Lek Marketing & Sales Slovenia, further adding that for the purchase of reanimation cases the company would allocate 70,000 EUR, as it wishes to provide this equipment to all of Slovenia’s health centers and their emergency services.
Lek, a Sandoz company, is one of the pillars of leading world generics company Sandoz. It operates as a global development center for products and technologies, as a global manufacturing center for active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines, as a competence center for the development of vertically integrated products, as a Sandoz competence center in the field of development and manufacturing of biosimilars and as a supply center for the markets of CEE, SEE and CIS, sales Slovenia and sales services for Sandoz global markets. Lek d.d. employs more than 3,000 people. For further information please consult http://www.lek.si.
Sandoz, a Division of the Novartis group, is a global leader in the field of generic pharmaceuticals, offering a wide array of high-quality, affordable products that are no longer protected by patents. Sandoz has a portfolio of more than 950 compounds and sells its products in more than 130 countries. Key product groups include antibiotics, treatments for central nervous system disorders, gastrointestinal medicines, cardiovascular treatments and hormone therapies. Sandoz develops, produces and markets these medicines along with pharmaceutical and biotechnological active substances and anti-infectives. In addition to strong organic growth in recent years, Sandoz has made a series of acquisitions including Lek (Slovenia), Sabex (Canada), Hexal (Germany) and EonLabs (US) In 2007, Sandoz employed around 23,000 people worldwide and posted sales of USD 7.2 billion.
Novartis AG provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on growth areas in healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and 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 98,200 full-time associates and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.
This press release contains statements and conclusions based on projections of Lek’s future business operations. These estimates are derived from the best information currently available. In case these forecasts prove unreliable, the actual results could prove different from those projected.
For further information contact:
Katarina Klemenc Dinjaški
Corporate Communications
Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d.
Phone: + 386 1 580 22 43
Fax: + 386 1 580 24 32
communications.lek@sandoz.com
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T: +386 1 580 22 43
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