SANDOZ WAKES: CIBA MERGER GIVES COMPANY FOCUS THROUGH END OF DECADE; NOVARTIS WILL BE 8TH LARGEST U.S. FIRM, LOOKING FOR $1.5 BIL. IN SAVINGS WORLDWIDE

The Sandoz/Ciba merger will give Sandoz a clearly defined mission through the end of the decade after several years of strategic uncertainty: to wring cost-savings and synergies out of the $27 bil. Novartis transaction.