Novartis : announces eXcellence in Ophthalmology Vision Award 2014 winners for outstanding eye health projects »

• Five winners have been selected out of 88 high quality applications submitted by eye specialist institutions worldwide
  

• The awards will provide funding for projects in Myanmar, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria and India
  

• The eXcellence in Ophthalmology Vision Award (XOVA), sponsored by Novartis and its eye care division Alcon, funds innovative, sustainable projects in eye care

Basel, September 11, 2014- Novartis and its eye care division Alcon, are delighted to announce the winners of the 2014 eXcellence in Ophthalmology Vision Award (XOVA). The XOVA, an annual award scheme that funds projects aimed at delivering sustained improvements in eye care globally, including developing countries, has been rewarding projects since 2010. The projects can be educational (for example, training of local eye care professionals) or can involve an innovation in eye care (for example, a novel approach in monitoring visual acuity).

"The XOVA attracts an ever larger number of entries year on year, and in 2014 we were overjoyed by the quality of submissions", said Juergen Brokatzky-Geiger, Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, Novartis. "The grant has been awarded to truly innovative projects that aim to help improve eye care in some of the world's developing countries. Novartis is proud to support these projects with a XOVA grant".

The winners were selected from the large number of high-quality entries from 36 countries this year, and were told of their successful entry during this year's EURETINA congress in London. The winners are:

• Elizabeth Kishiki and the Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology will be providing comprehensive eye care services for children in eastern Uganda

• Hyong Kwon Kang and the Myanmar Eye Care Project, in partnership with RANZCO Eye Foundation, will be developing an operating theatre sterilization and aseptic pathway at Wachet Hospital

• Demissie Tadesse, on behalf of Sight for Souls, will be training mid-level ophthalmic personnel to scale up eye care service volume in Ethiopia

• Uday Gajiwala and the Divyajyoti Trust, will be providing door-to-door screening of glaucoma, diabetes and hypertension piggybacked on the community-based rehabilitation program in Gujarat, India

• Clare Inkster and VISION 2020 LINKS will be ensuring quality standards for eye care services in Nigeria through the Lagos-Bolton/North West Deanery VISION 2020 LINK.

About XOVA
The XOVA was initiated and is supported by Novartis and its eye care division Alcon, the market leaders in the field of ophthalmology, as a testament to their total commitment to improving eye care around the world, to improve patient outcomes and healthcare system productivity. The XOVA provides funding in the form of a grant to the winning institution. Collectively, the institutions will receive a total of EUR 200,000 to execute innovative initiatives that are likely to have a significant impact on addressing unmet needs in eye care from around the world. Importantly, the initiatives need to be sustainable in the long-term - proposals must indicate how the project will continue to be run in the country, using local resources, after the XOVA funds have been used up. They also need to demonstrate long-term impact and benefit for the local population.

Disclaimer
This press release contains expressed or implied forward-looking statements, including statements that can be identified by terminology such as "will," "aimed," "aim," "commitment," "to improve," "likely," "must," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Group regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such statements. These expectations could be affected by, among other things, risks and factors referred to in the Risk Factors section of 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 it in the future.

About Alcon
Alcon, the global leader in eye care, provides innovative products that enhance quality of life by helping people worldwide see better. The three Alcon businesses - Surgical, Ophthalmic Pharmaceuticals and Vision Care - offer the widest spectrum of eye care products in the world. Alcon is the second largest division of the Novartis Group, with pro-forma sales of USD 10.5 billion in 2013. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, Alcon has more than 25,000 employees worldwide, operations in 75 countries and products available in 180 markets. For more information, visit www.alcon.com.

About Novartis
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, over-the-counter and animal health products. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2013, the Group achieved net sales of USD 57.9 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.9 billion (USD 9.6 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 135,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 150 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

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