Novartis is reportedly considering selling off its $5 billion ophthalmology assets.
Bloomberg News reports Novartis is considering getting rid of both its ophthalmology and respiratory units next year, in a likely drive to generate money to invest in new therapies.
The company continues to see successes in its ophthalmology pipeline
According to the report, any sales of the two units would not start until 2023, after the process to spin off its Sandoz generic unit is completed. Talks reportedly are ongoing and there is no certainty that any sales will happen.
In 2019, Novartis spun off the Alcon eye care business, and in 2021 sold approximately a third of its voting share in Roche. In August, Novartis first announced plans to spin off the Sandoz generics unit as it directed its focus on the development of patented prescription medications.
The company continues to see successes in its ophthalmology pipeline.
In June, Novartis announced that the US FDA had approved brolucizumab-dbll 6 mg (BEOVU) for the treatment of diabetic macular oedema (DMO).
Novartis did not respond to Bloomberg News for its report.