is the
Generics subsidiary of
Novartis , one of the
Big Pharma pharmaceutical companies. The company develops, manufactures and markets off-patent medicines as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnological active ingredients. Prior to the merger of Sandoz and
Ciba-Geigy to form Novartis in 1996, Sandoz also engaged in drug development. In 2005, Sandoz expanded significantly though the acquisition of
Hexal , one of Germany’s leading generics company, and
Eon Labs , a fast-growing US generic pharmaceutical company.
Sandoz reported generic pharmaceutical sales in 2005 were USD 4.7 billion. It employs more than 20,000 people in 110 countries. Its global headquarters are based in
Holzkirchen ,
Germany , just south of
Munich .
Before the merger to form Novartis, was a
Swiss Pharmaceutical company, best known for inventing
LSD in
1938 and later marketing it as a
Psychiatric drug under the trade name ''Delysid''. The laboratories also made
Saccharin and a number of other now-common chemicals.
The ''Chemiefirma Kern & Sandoz'' ("Kern & Sandoz Chemistry Firm") was founded in
1886 by Dr.
Alfred Kern (
1850 -
1893 ) and
Edouard Sandoz (
1853 -
1928 ). The first
Dye s manufactured there were
Alizarine Blue and
Auramine . After Kern's death, the partnership was changed to the corporation ''Chemische Fabrik vormals Sandoz'' in
1895 . The company began producing the fever-reducing drug
Antipyrin in the same year.
From
1899 , the sugar substitute
Saccharin was produced.
Pharmaceutical research began in
1917 under Professor
Arthur Stoll (
1887 -
1971 ).
Between the World Wars,
Gynergen (
1921 ) and
Calcium-Sandoz (
1929 ) were brought to market. Sandoz also produced chemicals for
Textile s,
Paper , and
Leather beginning in
1929 . In
1939 , they began producing agricultural chemicals.
The
Psychedelic effects of
LSD were discovered at the Sandoz laboratories in
1943 by
Albert Hofmann . Sandoz began clinical trials, and marketed the drug under the name ''Delysid'' as a psychiatric drug useful for treating a wide variety of mental ailments, from
Alcoholism to
Sexual Deviancy . Sandoz suggested in its literature that
Psychiatrist s take LSD themselves, to gain a better subjective understanding of the
Schizophrenic experience, and many did exactly that. Research on LSD peaked in the
1950s and early
1960s . Sandoz withdrew the drug from the market in the mid 1960s. ''See also
LSD .''
Sandoz opened its first foreign offices in
1964 .
In
1967 , Sandoz merged with the Wander AG (known for Ovomaltine and
Isostar ). Sandoz acquired the companies
Delmark ,
Wasabröd (
Swedish manufacturer of
Crisp Bread ), and
Gerber Products Company baby food makers.
On
November 1 ,
1986 , a fire broke out in a production plant storage room, which led to a large amount of
Pesticide being released into the upper
Rhine . This exposure led to many
Fish dying.
In
1996 , Sandoz merged with
Ciba-Geigy to form
Novartis . Novartis reorganized its activities, spinning out its chemicals activities as
Ciba Specialty Chemicals and preserving the Sandoz name as its
Generics arm.
In
2005 , Sandoz expanded greatly with the acquisition of
Hexal of Germany and
Eon Labs of the U.S. Sandoz headquarters relocated to that of Hexal, in
Holzkirchen ,
Germany .
