With millions of patients affected by COVID-19, the raging pandemic has put enormous pressure on critical medicine safety stocks. Healthcare workers are using every tool available to treat COVID-19 and related (or secondary) infections, resulting in a heavy pull on several medicines, including antibiotics. The pull on the system has been significant with increased demand for key medicines from patients and governments, says Richard Saynor, Sandoz CEO. 
Saynor, in a press statement, has conveyed that Sandoz has so far managed to ensure a dependable supply of medicines through swift action to increase production in the face of rapidly surging demand and multiple new obstacles throughout the supply chain.
Responding to these challenges, Sandoz, the Novartis generics and biosimilars division, has expanded its manufacturing capacity to maintain a stable supply of generic medicines for patients, while also delivering on a number of additional commitments to contribute to the global COVID-19 response.
“We are proud that we have so far managed to ensure a dependable supply of medicines through swift action to increase production in the face of rapidly surging demand and multiple new obstacles throughout the supply chain,” said Richard Saynor.
“This crisis is exceptional, both in how it impacts our patients and the complexity it presents to us in how we respond. This is because we see a demand surge combined with major supply restrictions. The lockdown of borders and limitations on trade, export and air traffic, as well as the additional demands placed on employees both at sites and elsewhere, have made the production and delivery of medicines incredibly hard. Despite these challenges, we continue to deliver quality generic and biosimilar medicines to those patients we serve, while also meeting additional commitments to fight COVID-19.”
Measures such as proactive increases in inventory of antibiotics and respiratory medicines are now helping the company navigate COVID-related supply chain issues and continue to meet patient needs. All Sandoz manufacturing sites and suppliers have continued full production and delivery throughout this crisis.

Further, the Sandoz Wilson site has begun shipment of 30 million doses of the malaria medicine to the US Department of Health and Human Services for immediate use in controlled clinical studies. Sandoz also completed a 20,000 tablet donation to the University of Washington for a clinical trial to determine prevention of COVID-19 in 2,000 people who have previously been exposed to the disease. The trial is sponsored in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator. Results of this clinical trial will be available in late 2020.
On April 30, Novartis announced its agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to proceed with a Phase III clinical trial with approximately 440 patients to evaluate the use of the malaria drug for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 disease. The clinical trial drug supply is provided by Sandoz.
“We are deeply dedicated to the global effort to combat COVID-19 and ensure the stability of global healthcare systems,” said Carol Lynch, President of Sandoz Inc. “Now is when our Purpose – pioneering access for patients - matters most, and I am proud to see Sandoz showing up with our best at this critical time,” said Richard Saynor. “In the midst of a global health crisis, our ability to continue supplying essential medicines to patients while also delivering on additional commitments to support the COVID-19 response, is only possible because our employees.”

Sandoz has so far managed to ensure a dependable supply of medicines through swift action to increase production in the face of rapidly surging demand and multiple new obstacles throughout the supply chain.