As part of this year's charity campaign, Lek, a new Sandoz company will donate over 1000 personal computers to elementary and secondary schools, health-care institutions and organizations which work with children, and local associations which contribute to the improvement of educational conditions for youths and of local environments throughout Slovenia.

Lek computers bring smiles to faces at the Dolfka Boštjančič Center in Ig

9. 12. 2004

Ig, December 9, 2004 – A ceremony was held today at the Dolfka Boštjančič Center in Ig on the donation of computers as part of Lek’s annual charity campaign, which is being carried out throughout Slovenia. On the donation of the computers to Valerija Bužan, Director of the Dolfka Boštjančič Center, Head of Information Infrastructure at Lek Information Technology Pavle Trdan stated: ‘I sincerely believe that these computers will help the children and young people in their educational process and in their leisure time, and brighten their everyday lives at the Center.’ In nearly two months of the campaign, Lek has already donated more than 800 computers to more than 100 recipients from all over Slovenia. Through the charity campaign, Lek wishes to contribute to the improvement of educational conditions for children and young people and work conditions at various institutions and associations.

The Dolfka Boštjančič Center is a social welfare institution for training, upbringing, education, health care, rehabilitation and care of children and young people with moderate, serious and high levels of disturbance of their mental development, and with additional disturbances. The Dolfka Boštjančič Center opened its doors in September 1984. It was founded with a great deal of help from many good and understanding people. The Center includes several units, for day care, adults and a safety and work center.

The basic functions of the Center are the development of the mental and physical capacities of its clients to the maximum possible level, so that their dependence on outside assistance is minimized. All clients are guaranteed constant health safety, general and specialized care and rehabilitation. The Center also cares for the social welfare of people with disturbances and their family members, and provides home care services.

At the Dolfka Boštjančič Center they believe that every life is precious and that all children have the right to education. With the professional work of the pedagogical, social, medical, psychological and other services they try to develop the modest abilities which the children bring to the Center to the highest level possible. The goal of education at the Center is to prepare or train children for as independent and high-quality a life as possible. This is based on the needs of the individual and the requirements of the environment, and is built on direct life experiences.

Lek’s cooperation with the Center, which has gone on for many years, began with a donation of various cosmetics products. Last year in the framework of Lek’s ‘Laughter Day’ campaign, Lek helped the Center to purchase adjustable beds for the physically challenged, and the children and youths were treated to a show by clown Eva Škofič Maurer. ‘With this year’s donation of computers, Lek has made it possible for the Center to provide higher quality training of the children and youths, and their satisfaction is the highest praise for Lek,’ added Director of the Center Valerija Bužan.

As a pharmaceutical company which is concerned with long-term education and maintaining the quality of health and life, Lek actively participates in humanitarian and health-care fields and contributes to the areas of culture, education, scientific research and sports. Lek’s wide-ranging engagement in its social environment has a common denominator, which is a high level of responsibility for children and youths, for whom Lek seeks to improve their today and tomorrow. ‘Because of the everyday pressures of work, people often forget about the possibility of hearing a kind word, seeing a kind face or listening to heartfelt laughter. Therefore I am even more happy that I can share these moments with you today. This is also a happy event for Lek, and it proves that we made the right decision,’ added Pavle Trdan.

This campaign is another step which Lek has courageously and decisively taken towards implementing their role as a corporate citizen as a part of their mission to improve health care and the quality of life in the broadest sense of the word. Lek’s role also corresponds with Novartis’ corporate citizenship, which is one of the pillars of the operation of that successful global pharmaceutical company.

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. The Lek Group employs about 3850 people in various regions and achieved total sales of USD 694 million in 2003. For further information please consult http://www.lek.si.

Sandoz, a Novartis company, is a world leader in generic pharmaceuticals and develops, manufactures and markets these medicines as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnological active ingredients. Decades of experience and profound know-how make Sandoz a renowned partner in the Pharmaceuticals, Biopharmaceuticals and Industrial Products Franchises. Altogether, Sandoz employs approximately 13,000 people worldwide and posted sales of USD 2.9 billion in 2003.

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. In 2003, the Group’s business achieved sales of USD 24.9 billion and a net income of USD 5.0 billion. The Group invested approximately USD 3.8 billion in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 78 500 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information, please consult http://www.novartis.com.

This press release contains certain “forward-looking 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.
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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
corporate.communications@lek.si