Novartis China Announces Key Management Appointments and Highlights Strong Product Portfolio Performance

On April 16, 2025, Mr. Li Yao, President and Managing Director of Novartis China, announced,Xu Wei, currently the head of Novartis China's lung cancer and solid tumor portfolio in the oncology therapeutic area, will assume the role of head of ophthalmology, transplant, and central nervous system therapeutic areas for Novartis China starting May 1, 2025., and will join the China management team of the International Business Department.

Data shows that Xu Wei joined the ophthalmology treatment field of Novartis China in 2003 and has since accumulated extensive industry knowledge and management experience across multiple therapeutic areas in several multinational pharmaceutical companies.

Xu Wei currently holds the position of overseeing the lung cancer and solid tumor portfolio at Novartis China. By actively integrating resources and empowering her team, she has driven the rapid growth of Tafinlar and Mekinist and led the successful launch of Taflinar in China, establishing Novartis as a leader in the field of rare target treatments.

In addition, she also served as the head of the county market department and the Cosentyx market department of Novartis China. During her tenure at the Cosentyx market department, Xu Wei led her team to successfully build Cosentyx into a leading brand with a strong reputation by formulating clear market strategies and implementing innovative integrated projects that provided comprehensive patient services.

It is worth noting that Novartis China's management has seen frequent changes recently——

2025Year of Management Changes

Yu Tian Appointed as President of Novartis Poland:On March 3, 2025, Li Yao, President of Novartis China, announced that Tian Yu, the current head of Novartis China's immunotherapy division, will be promoted to President of Novartis Poland. Tian Yu returned to Novartis in November 2022 as the head of the innovative drug immunotherapy division in China. During her tenure at Novartis, she led the market promotion of multiple immunotherapy products and drove the rapid growth of the psoriasis drug secukinumab and the anti-IgE drug omalizumab.

Wang Jia Takes Over as Head of the Immunotherapy Field:After Tian Yu's promotion, Wang Jia, the current head of ophthalmology, transplantation, and central nervous system treatment at Novartis China, will take over as the head of the immunotherapy business in China. Both appointments will take effect on April 1, 2025.

Xu Wei's appointment this time happens to replace Wang Jia's position. Before the successor is announced, Xu Wei will continue to serve as the interim leader of the lung cancer field and solid tumor product portfolio during the transition period.

Novartis' 2024 financial report shows that the net sales in China for the full year of 2024 reached 3.9 billion U.S. dollars, increasing by 21% year-on-year. The Chinese market has seen significant growth, becoming an important factor driving the overall performance growth.

The main drivers of growth in the Chinese market are the out-of-pocket increases for key products like Entresto and Leqvio, as well as Novartis' strong performance in the cardiovascular-renal-metabolic field.

In terms of core business performance, the cardiovascular-renal-metabolic field saw the fastest revenue growth at 36%, becoming a key driver of Novartis China's performance. Revenue in the immunology field reached $9.293 billion, up 21% year-over-year, with Cosentyx showing strong performance in the Chinese market. Oncology revenue amounted to $14.74 billion, growing 16% year-over-year and remaining the largest contributor to Novartis' revenue. Neuroscience revenue reached $4.75 billion, reflecting a 31% year-over-year increase.

Among the key products, Entresto (Sacubitril/Valsartan), as Novartis' flagship product, achieved global sales of $7.822 billion in 2024, representing a 31% year-on-year increase, with particularly outstanding performance in the Chinese market. Leqvio (Inclisiran), the world’s first siRNA ultra-long-acting lipid-lowering drug, reached sales of $754 million in 2024, marking a 114% year-on-year growth. The Chinese market made a significant contribution to its self-pay growth, becoming the largest market outside the United States.

Reference: Luo Shi Xiong

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