Press Release: Novartis data demonstrates -2-

"look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline,"

"launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions

regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for

the investigational or approved products described in this press release,

or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should

not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking

statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding

future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks

and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties

materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual

results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking

statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or

approved products described in this press release will be submitted or

approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any

market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that

such products will be commercially successful in the future. In

particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected

by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and

development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of

existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government

regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment,

including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement

pressures; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual

property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of

physicians and patients; general political and economic conditions;

safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data

security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information

technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis

AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange

Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release

as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any

forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result

of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives.

As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and

digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of

great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently

rank among the world's top companies investing in research and

development. Novartis products reach nearly 1 billion people globally

and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest

treatments. About 125 000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at

Novartis around the world. Find out more at www.novartis.com.

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References

[1] National Cancer Institute. Dictionary of Cancer Terms. Available

at:

https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/visceral.

Accessed November 2018.

[2] Harb, WA. Management of patients with hormone receptor-positive

breast cancer with visceral disease: challenges and treatment options.

Cancer Manag Res. 2015;7:37-46.

[3] Yardley D, Chan A, Nusch, A et al. Ribociclib + endocrine therapy

in patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced

breast cancer presenting with visceral metastases: Subgroup analysis of

Phase III MONALEESA trials. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer

Symposium (SABCS) (Abstract #P6-18-07) on December 8, 2018.

[4] Novartis Data on File.

# # #

Novartis Media Relations

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E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com

Eric Althoff Julie Masow

Novartis Global Media Relations Novartis Oncology Media Relations

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Source: Novartis International AG via Globenewswire

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Novartis International AG

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 08, 2018 08:00 ET (13:00 GMT)