Sandoz Group AG

Swiss generic pharmaceutical company founded in 2003, known for generic medicines and biosimilars, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.

Sandoz was established in 2003 as the generics division of Novartis, following the merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz AG in 1996. The name Sandoz was chosen to honor the heritage of the original Sandoz company, which was founded in 1886. Novartis consolidated its generics operations under the Sandoz division to create a focused generics business.

The Sandoz division grew through acquisitions and organic growth in the 2000s and 2010s. Notable acquisitions included the purchase of Eon Labs in 2005, Sabex in 2006, and Fougera in 2012. These acquisitions expanded Sandoz's portfolio and geographic reach. The company became one of the world's largest generic pharmaceutical companies.

In 2018, Novartis announced plans to explore strategic options for Sandoz, including a potential spinoff. The company faced pressure from investors to unlock value from the generics division. In 2022, Novartis announced that it would spin off Sandoz as an independent publicly traded company.

The spinoff was completed in October 2023, with Sandoz beginning trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange under ticker SDZ. The spinoff created an independent generics company focused on generic medicines and biosimilars. Sandoz established its own board of directors and management team.

Recent strategic direction has focused on biosimilars and international expansion. Sandoz has invested in biosimilar development and expanded its presence in emerging markets. The company has also focused on operational efficiency and cost management following the spinoff. Sandoz continues to develop new generic medicines and biosimilars to maintain its market leadership.