Novartis 4% lower as generic competition hits revenue

29 October 2025

Shares in Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) closed 4% lower Tuesday after the firm reported its third-quarter 2025 financial results.

Net sales for the Basel-based company rose 7% in constant currencies to $13.91 billion in the third quarter of the year, approximately in line with Wall Street forecasts. Core operating income jumped 6% to $5.46 billion, just slightly above consensus analyst predictions of $5.4 billion.

The results would have been better were it not for generic competition. Copies of Promacta (eltrombopag), Tasigna (nilotinib) and Entresto (sacubitril/valsartan) eroded sales of the original products in the USA.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free. A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Try before you buy

Free

7 day trial access

Take a Free Trial

All the news that moves the needle in pharma and biotech
Exclusive features, podcasts, interviews, data analyses and commentary from our global network of life sciences reporters.
Receive The Pharma Letter daily news bulletin, free forever.

Become a subscriber

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now

Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription

The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK