Novartis AG is a Swiss-American multinational pharmaceutical company with its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. The company was founded by Johann Rudolf and Alexander Clavel. In the year 1996, Novartis was formed as an independent company by the merger of three independent companies called Geigy, Ciba and Sandoz. Geigy was founded in the mid of the eighteenth century while Ciba and Sandoz were founded in the year 1860 and 1886 respectively. Ciba and Geigy formed Ciba-Geigy Ltd. after a merger in the year 1970. However, Sandoz functioned independently for a long time until it joined hands with Ciba-Geigy Ltd. in the year 1996 and formed Novartis AG. This merger was one of the biggest in the history. The company was involved in the production of synthetic fabric dyes in its initial days and moved from chemical production to pharmaceuticals. Two years after the merger the company began providing treatment for leprosy on a global level through the World Health Organisation. It then moved to the areas of anti-tuberculosis and anti-malaria drugs. There are three operating segments of the company - Innovative Medicines, Sandoz, and Corporate.

The company specializes in the areas of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, dermatology, neurological disorders, hormonal therapies, ophthalmic and respiratory disorders, central nervous system, immunology, and infections.

Novartis has its manufacturing facilities spread across the countries Europe, Asia and US. They are located in Austria at Kundl, Switzerland at Basel, Slovenia at Ljubljana, Austria at Schaftenau, USA at Morris Plains, Switzerland at Stein, Singapore, Slovenia at Menges, Belgium at Puurs and France at Huningue and Les Ulis. The research locations of the company are Switzerland, USA, France and China. The company has an international presence in countries like Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Novartis has marked its in India with its Drug Development Centre in Hyderabad which is one of the three main international development sites for Novartis. The company has its corporate office situated in Mumbai. It also has a Sandoz manufacturing unit at Kalwe.

Some of the top products of the company include GALVUS MET, VOVERAN, VYMADA, GALVUS, TEGRITAL, GENTEAL, VIGAMOX, REVOLADE, MYFORTIC, NEVANAC, TRAVATAN, METHERGIN, VOVERAN-AQ, VOTRIENT, SCAPHO, CALCIUM SANDOZ, KRYXANA, SIMBRINZA, MACALVIT, TRAVACOM, AZOPT, PATADAY, TRIOPTAL, JAKAVI, CERTICAN, SANDIMMUN NEORAL, SIMULECT, TYKERB, SANDOCAL + VIT.D3, SANDOSTATIN LAR, SEQUADRA, TACSANT, VIGADEXA, VOVERAN PLUS, VOVERAN-TPM, XOLAIR, CITROMACALVIT, FEMARA, GLIVEC, VOLTAFLAM, LIORESAL, ZOMETA, DIOVAN, OTRIVIN- S, ASUNRA, SANDOSTATIN-LAR, AFINITOR, LUCENTIS LIVI, ILEVRO and SIRDALUD.