Sandoz is the generics subsidiary of Novartis, a multinational pharmaceutical company. The company develops, manufactures and markets off-patent medicines as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnological active ingredients.

Sandoz reported sales in 2006 were US$6,000,000,000. It employs more than 20,000 people in 110 countries. Its global headquarters are in Holzkirchen, Germany, just south of Munich. Major production sites include Broomfield, Colorado, Kalwe, Kundl, Ljubljana, Magdeburg, Stryków, and Wilson, North Carolina.

Sandoz was founded in 2003 under the brand name of one of the predecessor companies of Novartis. Before the merger to form Novartis in 1996, Sandoz Laboratories was a Swiss pharmaceutical company, best known for inventing LSD in 1938 and later marketing it as a psychiatric drug under the trade name Delysid. The laboratories also made saccharin and a number of other now-common chemicals.

Company history

In 2002, Sandoz expanded with the acquisition of Slovenian company Lek, which employs about 2,820 people.

In 2005, Sandoz expanded greatly with the acquisition of Hexal of Germany and Eon Labs of the U.S. Sandoz headquarters relocated to that of Hexal, in Holzkirchen, Germany. CEO of Sandoz, currently, is Andreas Rummelt.

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