The company was founded in 1886 by Alfred Kern (1850–1893) and Edouard Sandoz (1853–1928) in Basel (Switzerland) under the name Chemiefirma Kern und Sandoz. Initially the company focused on production of dyes namely alizarin blue and auramine. When Kern died, the company changed its name to Chemische Fabrik vormals Sandoz in 1895 and began producing pharmaceuticals for the first time the same year. As early as 1895, the first pharmaceutical substance called antipyrine was produced to reduce fever. In 1899 they started producing saccharin.[9]
In 1917, Sandoz entered pharmaceutical research when Arthur Stoll (1887–1971) was hired, and, in 1929, Calcium Sandoz was introduced, laying the foundation research into modern calcium therapy.[10][11]
In 1918, Arthur Stoll isolated ergotamine from ergot; the substance was eventually used to treat migraine and headaches and was introduced under the trade name Gynergen in 1921.[12]
In 1938 Albert Hofmann produced the synthetic substance lysergic acid diethylamide, better known as LSD. The psychoactive properties of this preparation were nevertheless not discovered until 1943, when Hofmann ingested a small amount by accident.[13][14] From 1947 to the mid-60s, LSD was sold by Sandoz under the name Delysid.[15] It was marketed as a treatment for a wide variety of mental ailments, ranging from alcoholism to sexual deviancy. Sandoz suggested in its marketing literature that psychiatrists take LSD themselves,[16] to gain a better subjective understanding of the schizophrenic experience, and many did exactly that and so did other scientific researchers. The Sandoz product received mass publicity as early as 1954, in a Time magazine feature.[17] Research on LSD peaked in the 1950s and early 1960s. The CIA purchased quantities of LSD from Sandoz for use in its illegal human experimentation program known as
In 1939, Kern & Sandoz became Sandoz Ltd., a name it operated under for nearly sixty years.[20]
In 1963, Sandoz acquired Biochemie GmbH, which was producing and supplying scarce, urgently needed acid-resistant penicillin.
In 1967, Sandoz merged with Wander AG and diversified into the dietetics business with Ovomaltine and Isostar.[21]
In 1972, Sandoz acquired Delmark, Wasabröd, Wasa, the Swedish crisp bread producer Wasa in 1982.[22]
In 1986, Velsicol Chemical Corporation acquired the agrochemicals division of Sandoz.[23]
In 1994, Sandoz bought Gerber Products Company, expanding its research into biopharmacueticals.[24][25]
In 1995, the specialty chemicals division became an independent company under the name Clariant, based in Muttenz.[26][27][28]
1996–2023: Merger with Ciba-Geigy and developments under Novartis
On December 20, 1996, the merger of Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy led to the creation of Novartis. The Sandoz brand name was then only used in the pharmaceutical business for over-the-counter medicines.[29][7]
The former company name Sandoz was reactivated in May 2003 with the merger of the globally differently named generics companies of the parent company Novartis under the uniform brand name Sandoz. In addition to the name, the company logo used before the merger was also adopted.
In 2002, Sandoz acquired Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Slovenia's largest pharmaceutical company.[30]
In 2003, Novartis united its global generics businesses under a single global brand, reestablishing the name Sandoz as a division of Novartis.[31] The Amifarma S.L. production plant in Palafolls, located near Barcelona, Spain was also acquired.
2023–present: Return to a standalone company
In September 2023, Novartis announced that the spin-off had been approved by its shareholders and that it would be completed by the next month, resulting in Novartis shareholders receiving one Sandoz share for every five Novartis shares.[44][45] Sandoz was listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange with a market capitalization between $18 billion and $25bn.[46][45]
On October 4, 2023, Novartis completed the spin-off of Sandoz as a stand-alone company.[47]
The B2B business unit of Sandoz, dedicated to supplying active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), out-licensing of Finished Dosage Forms (FDFs), and Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO) services, continues to operate from its global headquarters in
