Basel, 2 April, 2004 - Novartis takes note of the invitation by the Aventis Supervisory Board to enter into negotiations regarding a potential transaction.
Novartis now expects that the Supervisory Board and management of Aventis will clarify with the French Government the importance of such a transaction for the shareholders of Aventis as well as its benefits for employment and for research and development.
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. In 2003, the Group's businesses 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.
This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the Group's business, intentions or expectations. Such statements reflect the current views of the Group with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. There can be no guarantee regarding the existence or nonexistence of any major acquisitions in the future. Many factors can cause actual events to be materially different from the Group's current intentions or expectations.
For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com.
# # #
