Sandoz U.S. History

Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, Sandoz is one of the largest generic drug development and manufacturing companies in the United States. Long a respected leader in the U.S. generics market, Sandoz is a pioneer in the growing U.S. healthcare marketplace, the largest globally for generic drugs.

In the U.S., Sandoz produces, markets and distributes in excess of 7 billion units annually composed of more than 200 individual pharmaceutical tablet and capsule products. Sandoz researches, develops and manufactures products in many therapeutic categories including psychotherapeutics, cardiovascular and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.

History

1946	Geneva had its genesis in Detroit, Michigan, as a sales division of pharmaceutical company S.J.Tutag & Company.
1975	Tutag purchased 15 acres of land and relocated 15 individuals and their families to Broomfield, Colorado.
1979	With the generic segment sales posted at $10 million and 67 employees, the company merged with Ciba-Geigy, Ltd., and this generics arm was known as Geneva Generics with products provided principally from Cord Laboratories, Inc., a manufacturing subsidiary.
1984	The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act, often referred to as the Hatch Waxman Act, was passed. The Act established the existing Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) process as a regulatory means for approving generic equivalents for post 1962 drugs coming off patent. At the same time, competitive forces, such as cost containment measures fueled the increased use of generics.
1985	Geneva was able to absorb nearly all of Cord’s manufacturing capacity by 1985. The facility focused primarily on the development and manufacture of solid oral dosage forms, i.e., tablets and capsules.
1991	Geneva Generics rebranded and became Geneva Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
1996	By December, Ciba-Geigy, Ltd. and Sandoz Ltd. merged to form Novartis AG. With this merger, Novartis AG became one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
1999	Geneva acquired Invamed, Inc., a New Jersey-based leader in developing and manufacturing off-patent pharmaceutical products. Once completed, the research and development group was renamed Geneva Pharmaceuticals Technology Corporation.
2000	In December, Geneva acquired the U.S. rights of Apothecon, Inc., the generics arm of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. The acquisition brought a full line of antibiotic products, both oral and injectable, to the Geneva product line.
2001	The company relocated its headquarters to New Jersey and established its Dayton, New Jersey, facility as its primary research and development center. Its Broomfield, Colorado, facility continues as the primary manufacturing center of the company. This is part of an ongoing plan to solidify Geneva’s position as a leading generic pharmaceutical company in the U.S. At this time, the company employed nearly 1,000 people in its three locations. Geneva becomes a leader in a highly competitive market.
2003	Novartis Generics group of businesses rebrands all global companies under one name, Sandoz. Geneva Pharmaceuticals begins its rebranding efforts, operating under the Sandoz name and creating a worldwide network of resources for generic pharmaceutical production and marketing. On December 1, Geneva officially became Sandoz. The company has more than 1,300 employees.
2005	Novartis acquires Eon Labs and integrates it with Sandoz, creating a leader in generic pharmaceuticals.