Novartis to reduce US sales force, days after denying job cut rumours

Related tags Medicine

Novartis will reduce its US General Medicines sales force by 1,400 employees next year in preparation for impending patent loss for key products.

The cutbacks, which will cost Novartis $85m (€65m), follow just a week​ after the Swiss major announced plans to boost revenues by focusing on specialty medicines, cancer drugs and growth in emerging markets, rather than job cuts like some of its Big Pharma peers.

Speaking at the time it said: “We’re not planning a massive initiative as announced by Roche, but will continue to increase our productivity to adjust to the evolving market and our portfolio.”

In a statement sent to in-Pharmatechnologist Novartis said the US sales force cuts move were motivated by the “changing dynamics​” within its portfolio, arguing that the realigning its sales team will help it “focus on greatest opportunities for growth​.”

Andy Wyss, president of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, said: “Proactively evolving our business model will enable us to focus our resources on key launch products and capture opportunities in both primary care and specialty medicines​.”

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