Lek concludes annual charity campaign

Upon the conclusion of the charity campaign, Lek CEO Metod Dragonja said: ‘Knowledge is power and children are the future. Therefore we at Lek again decided to dedicate this campaign to young people. We wish to enable them to have the best possible learning and developmental conditions and thus a better future. And since computers are increasingly indispensable tools in modern life, we believe that our donations to the Malči Beličeve Children’s Home and all of the other recipients have found the right place.’

The donation of computers to the Malči Beličeve Children’s Home was accompanied by a pleasant gathering for the children, who were entertained by clown Eva Škofič Maurer. On the handing over of the computers, Olga Rupnik-Krže, the Principal of the Malči Beličeve Children’s Home, said: ‘I would like to sincerely thank Lek for this extremely welcome donation, since the computers couldn’t have come to us at a better time. The increased use of computers in everyday life also increases our needs for such equipment. And with Lek’s help we have significantly enriched the lives of the children and given them better conditions for living, learning and working.’

During the past year Lek exchanged its entire information system in order to modernize and harmonize it with the information system of the Novartis Business Group. By the end of 2004 Lek had replaced more than 1000 personal computers (desktops and notebooks). All of the computers were in good condition and functional. Therefore, Lek decided to donate them to interested parties, thereby assisting kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools, faculties, humanitarian organizations (maternity hospitals, safe houses, security and training institutes) and health-care institutions which were in need of such donations. Through this charity campaign, Lek wishes to contribute to the improvement of the educational conditions for children and youths and the working conditions of various institutions and associations.

As in past charity campaigns, this year’s was conducted throughout Slovenia. The computers were donated to recipients in all parts of Slovenia. The campaign also included four ceremonial handovers with entertainment and fun provided by clown Eva Škofič Maurer, at the Training Institute for Physically Challenged Youth in Kamnik, the Dolfka Boštjančič Training, Work and Safety Center in Ig, the kindergarten in Prevalje and today at the Malči Beličeve Children’s Home in Ljubljana.

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.

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