The 1996 merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz formed Novartis.
Both companies were major Swiss healthcare businesses with roots in the nineteenth century. Ciba-Geigy had strengths in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and agriculture, while Sandoz was known for medicines and its discovery of LSD in 1938.
The merger was announced in 1996 and created one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Novartis was headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and its name was derived from Latin roots associated with “new” and “art.”
This merger is sometimes confused with later consolidation in the pharmaceutical industry, including Sanofi’s acquisition of Aventis and the creation of GlaxoSmithKline. Novartis remained a distinct company while also reshaping its portfolio through later acquisitions and divestitures.