A Challenging Q3 For Novartis, But Diovan Generic Delay Offers A Reprieve

The unexpected delay of U.S. generic competition to Diovan helped pad some of the impact felt by Novartis from the loss of exclusivity on the blockbuster hypertension drug. Still, the impact of generics weighed on Novartis’ third quarter sales, and the delay is only a temporary reprieve of the inevitable sales erosion.