Novartis AG CEO Vas Narasimhan stated in an interview on Saturday that the company is studying proposals to present price reduction plans to US President Trump by the end of this month.
Narasimhan said: "We are working with the government to find practical solutions that will enable Americans to purchase medications at lower prices." He also added that the company is working to eliminate the drug price gap between the United States and other industrialized countries.
Narasimhan indicated that Novartis AG has not adjusted its expectations due to Trump's demands and still anticipates mid-term revenue growth of 5% from 2024 to 2029.
He stated: "We remain confident that profit growth will outpace revenue growth. Of course, if significant changes occur, we will need to make corresponding adjustments. But regardless of what happens, under the current US legal framework, any changes will be manageable."
Narasimhan said that Novartis AG is well-prepared for the 15% tariffs on drugs shipped from the EU to the United States. "We have significantly increased our inventory in the US, so this stock will definitely last until mid-2026."
Novartis AG expects these tariffs will primarily target active ingredients in medications. However, the company exports a limited quantity of active ingredients from Switzerland to the United States.
Narasimhan stated: "So if there are indeed specific tariffs targeting the Swiss pharmaceutical industry, we can fully handle it. We are more concerned about tariffs on the entire pharmaceutical industry rather than Switzerland's specific situation."