Sandoz Group AG

The government is pressing ahead with negotiations with 10 global pharmaceutical companies to attract clinical research investment, manufacturing technology transfer, and workforce development into Thailand under a strategy to position the country as a Medical Investment Hub. Lalida Periswiwatana, deputy spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, said on September 11, 2026, that the approach falls under the Joint Public-Private Committee for Solving Economic Problems, known as the Kor Or, chaired by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and the subcommittee on developing new national investment, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas. The government is applying an Offset Policy concept in talks with foreign companies so that government procurement extends into domestic investment. The Ministry of Public Health, under Minister Phatana Promphat, is negotiating with all 10 drugmakers, with the Board of Investment joining in considering investment promotion measures. Cooperation with MSD is the first Quick Win to show concrete results, with one new drug research program carrying an investment value of about 2 billion baht and the potential to create roughly 1,000 jobs. There are also plans to extend cooperation on technology transfer and the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs, for a new HIV drug together with the Government Pharmaceutical Organization. Lalida said that within about two weeks the government plans to sign an additional cooperation agreement with Sandoz to draw global companies into investing and generating economic activity in Thailand, rather than having the public sector simply buy products from abroad.

Sandoz has unveiled an ambitious growth strategy, dubbed Bio100, aiming to become the undisputed leader in the biosimilar industry by 2040, with a portfolio of more than 100 biosimilars. Announced at its Capital Markets Day on 8 September, the plan targets a 'golden decade' for biosimilars, leveraging the industry's patent cliff. CEO Richard Saynor said the window of opportunity is wide open, and the company plans to more than double net sales over the next decade. Chief commercial officer Rebecca Guntern highlighted an 'unparalleled opportunity' from loss of exclusivity, with over $300bn in originator sales not yet targeted. Key growth drivers include GLP-1 receptor agonists, monoclonal antibodies, and antibody drug conjugates, with a $322m partnership with China's Henlius and a $300m investment in a new facility in Slovenia supporting the strategy.

Sandoz has entered a collaboration agreement with Shanghai Henlius Biotech to develop up to 10 biosimilars, with total milestone payments of up to $322 million. The deal includes near-term payments of up to $100.5 million for initial assets, and Henlius will develop and manufacture the products while Sandoz handles commercialization worldwide except China. The initial assets include biosimilars referencing Erbitux, Repatha, and Benlysta, as well as a recombinant human hyaluronidase in technical development. Sandoz's biosimilar pipeline now stands at 39 assets, with potential to reach 46, and the company says the agreement supports its strategy to capture a significant share of the biosimilar loss-of-exclusivity market over the next decade.

Sandoz Group AG reported first-half 2026 net sales of $5,761 million, a 10% increase from the prior year. Biosimilars contributed $1,875 million, up 25% and now representing 33% of total net sales, while generics delivered $3,886 million, a 4% rise. Core EBITDA grew 15% to $1,206 million with margin expansion to 20.9%, and core diluted EPS increased 17% to $1.71. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance for mid-to-high single-digit net sales growth at constant currencies and approximately 100 basis points of core-EBITDA margin expansion, and added four new biosimilar assets to its pipeline, bringing the total to 36.

Sandoz Group has agreed to pay a total of US$478.5 million to resolve long-running US investigations into generic drug pricing, including US$400 million over seven years to US states and territories, and has separately received marketing authorization in Brazil for Owozy, a semaglutide product for diabetes patients. The US settlements crystallize a defined cash outflow profile and reduce the risk of further large, unexpected legal charges on the same matters. The Brazilian approval gives Sandoz Group commercial rights in an estimated US$1.8 billion local GLP-1 market, though management has guided to no material contribution in 2026. Both developments were announced in 2026 and affect the company's legal risk profile and access to a major emerging diabetes market.

Just – Evotec Biologics has launched J.TRAIN, a new turnkey offering that enables biopharmaceutical companies to deploy its proprietary continuous manufacturing technology in their own facilities. The solution combines prefabricated modular cleanrooms, industry-standard equipment, and cGMP-compliant process automation, with deployment possible in as little as 18 months. J.TRAIN can produce more than 500 kilograms of drug substance from less than 10,000 square feet of cleanroom space, achieving productivity levels over ten times that of traditional fed-batch methods. The model was validated by a December 2025 transaction with Sandoz that included a manufacturing facility and a technology license. The offering was unveiled in April 2026 at the INTERPHEX conference in New York City.

Sandoz, the global leader in affordable medicines, will host its 2026 capital markets day for investors and analysts. The formal part of the event will be webcast live starting at 13:30, with in-person attendance by invitation only. Additionally, Sandoz plans to host an investor and analyst site visit in Slovenia from 9 to 10 November, providing further insight into the company's new biosimilars development and supply-chain hub, though this event will not be webcast.