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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-10-009333.txt : 20100225
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-10-009333.hdr.sgml : 20100225
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20100225062720
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-10-009333
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	6-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20100222
FILED AS OF DATE:		20100225
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20100225

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NOVARTIS AG
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001114448
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		6-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15024
		FILM NUMBER:		10631502

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LICHSTRASSE 35
		CITY:			BASEL SWITZERLAND
		STATE:			V8
		ZIP:			CH 4056

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LICHSTRASSE 35
		CITY:			BASEL SWITZERLAND
		ZIP:			CH 4056
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>6-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a10-4652_16k.htm
<DESCRIPTION>6-K
<TEXT>

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<p style="border:none;color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Washington, D.C. 20549</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FORM&nbsp;6-K</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">REPORT
OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PURSUANT
TO RULE 13a-16 or 15d-16 OF</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Report on Form&nbsp;6-K dated February&nbsp;22</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;font-weight:bold;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">nd</font></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">, 2010</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">(Commission File No. 1-15024)</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="center"></div>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Novartis AG</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Name of Registrant)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Lichtstrasse 35</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">4056 Basel</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Switzerland</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of Principal
Executive Offices)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="center"></div>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Indicate by check mark
whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form&nbsp;20-F
or Form&nbsp;40-F:</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.0%;">
  <p align="right" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Form&nbsp;20-F:
  </font></b><b><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">x</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Form&nbsp;40-F: </font><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Indicate by check
mark if the registrant is submitting the Form&nbsp;6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T Rule&nbsp;101(b)(1):</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.0%;">
  <p align="right" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Yes: </font><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">No: </font></b><b><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">x</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Indicate by check
mark if the registrant is submitting the Form&nbsp;6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T Rule&nbsp;101(b)(7):</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.0%;">
  <p align="right" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Yes: </font><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">No: </font></b><b><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">x</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Indicate by check
mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this
form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule&nbsp;12g3-2(b)&nbsp;under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.0%;">
  <p align="right" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Yes: </font><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">No: </font></b><b><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">x</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 3.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in;">

<p style="border:none;color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='',FILE='C:\JMS\jvangc\10-4652-1\task3956199\4652-1-ba.htm',USER='jvangb',CD='Feb 25 02:50 2010' -->



<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="33%" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.34%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><img width="192" height="41" src="g46521dai001.jpg"></font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="33%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.34%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.32%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Novartis International AG</font></b></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Novartis Global Communications</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">CH-4002 Basel</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Switzerland</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">http://www.novartis.com</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">- Investor Relations Release -</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Novartis receives FDA approval of Menveo</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;font-weight:bold;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">&#174;</font></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">, a vaccine to prevent meningococcal disease</font></b></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Menveo
licensed in 11-55 year olds to help protect against potentially deadly
meningitis and sepsis caused by four common vaccine-preventable serogroups(1)</font></i></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Meningococcal
disease causes approximately 50,000 deaths globally each year, many of which
could be prevented through vaccines(2)</font></i></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Novartis
plans to seek licensure of Menveo in infants and children 2-10 years of age</font></i></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Basel, February&nbsp;22, 2010</font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;"> &#151; Novartis announced that
Menveo</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">&#174;</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;(Meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y and W-135)
Oligosaccharide Diphtheria CRM</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:1.0pt;">197</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;Conjugate Vaccine), a quadrivalent
meningococcal conjugate vaccine was approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal
disease caused by <i>Neisseria meningitidis </i>serogroups
A, C, Y and W-135 in people 11 to 55 years of age(1).</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Meningococcal
disease infects more than 500,000 people each year, leading to more than 50,000
deaths globally(2). As many as 1 in 7 patients who contract meningococcal
disease die from it(3). Approximately 1 in 5 meningococcal disease survivors
suffer serious, permanent and devastating side effects, including limb
amputations, seizures, paralysis, hearing loss and learning disabilities(4).
Meningococcal disease is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis, which is an
infection of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord, and sepsis, an
often life-threatening bloodstream infection(4), (5). Even with early and
appropriate treatment, the disease may progress rapidly and is potentially
fatal, often within 24-48 hours of onset of symptoms(6).</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#147;The
FDA approval of Menveo is an important milestone for adolescent immunization in
the United States. According to CDC estimates, approximately 16 million
adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 are at risk and remain unprotected
against meningococcal disease,&#148; said Andrin Oswald, Division Head of Novartis
Vaccines and Diagnostics. &#147;Meningococcal disease is particularly distressing
because it can rapidly kill or debilitate previously healthy adolescents. For
this reason, we are dedicated to helping eradicate meningococcal disease in the
United States and around the world.&#148;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In
the United States, incidence of meningococcal disease varies, ranging between
1,000 and 3,000 cases per year(4).</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">FDA
approval of Menveo was based on a Phase III head-to-head clinical trial that
compared Menveo to the other US-licensed ACWY meningococcal conjugate vaccine
among subjects 11 to 55 years of age. The trial, which was broken into two
subsets &#151; adolescents, age 11 to 18, and adults, age 19 to 55 &#151; measured for
each of the four serogroups both the percentage of subjects who achieved an
immune response as measured by seroresponse and proportions </font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">achieving
human serum bactericidal antibody (hSBA) titers <u>&gt;</u>1:8. Additionally the
study examined antibody level as measured by geometric mean titers (GMT)(1).</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#147;Even
with early and appropriate treatment, patients can die from meningococcal
disease, often within 24-48 hours of onset of symptoms(6). Menveo achieved a
higher immune response than the other currently available vaccine, which is
very reassuring,&#148; said Keith S. Reisinger, MD, Medical Director, Primary
Physicians Research,&nbsp;Inc., Pittsburgh, Penn. &#147;With the FDA approval of
Menveo, now healthcare providers in the United States have another option to
help prevent this life-threatening invasive disease.&#148;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In
study participants aged 11 to 18 years, Menveo met its primary endpoint for all
four serogroups using hSBA seroresponse. The percentages of subjects who
demonstrated an immune response (i.e., achieved an hSBA titer <u>&gt;</u>1:8)
for each serogroup for Menveo and its comparator (the other currently
US-licensed ACWY meningococcal conjugate vaccine) respectively, were: Serogroup
A &#151; 75:&#160; 67; serogroup C &#151; 84: 84;
serogroup Y &#151; 88: 69; and serogroup W-135 &#151; 96: 881.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The
seroresponse with Menveo for serogroups A, Y and W-135, was statistically
higher. However the clinical relevance of higher post-vaccination immune
responses is not known.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In
the same group, the levels of circulating antibodies (i.e., GMT) in those who
received Menveo vs. those who received the comparator, respectively, were:
Serogroup A &#151; 29: 18; serogroup C &#151; 59: 47; serogroup Y &#151; 51: 18; and serogroup
W-135 &#151; 87: 441.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Since
2005, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a group of 15 experts
who advise the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the
control of vaccine-preventable diseases, has recommended routine immunization
with a quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine for all adolescents, 11 to
18 years of age, college freshmen living in dormitories and people in other
high risk groups who are 19 to 55 years of age(3).</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Approval
of Menveo is the result of 10 years of dedicated effort by Novartis Vaccines to
provide a vaccine that can help protect people against meningococcal disease.
The Menveo development program for other age groups continues in multiple Phase
III clinical trials. Menveo has the potential to be utilized in a broad age
range, and the company plans to seek supplementary licensures for use of the
vaccine in other age groups. Data to support an indication for children 2 to 10
years of age is expected to be submitted in the first half of 2010. Novartis
expects to file data to support an infant indication in 2011.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">About meningococcal disease, a leading cause of bacterial meningitis</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Because invasive meningococcal disease can progress so
rapidly, high levels of circulating antibodies are critical for protection.
Immune memory typically takes up to five days to develop, so there often is not
enough time for immune memory to mount a protective response once the disease
has started(7).</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Five serogroups cause the majority of meningococcal
disease worldwide: A, B, C, Y and W-135(8). Distribution of serogroups varies
widely from geographic region to region and changes over time(8). Currently, in
the United States, most disease is caused by serogroups B, C, and Y(3). The
prevalence of serogroup Y has increased over the last few years (from 9 percent
of reported cases in 1990 to 1992 to 39 percent in 2006)(7).&#160; Epidemiology of meningococcal disease is
constantly changing(8), so it is impossible to determine which serogroups will
result in the majority of disease cases year over year.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">For more information, please visit www.meningitis.com.</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">About Novartis Vaccines&#146; global meningococcal franchise</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Novartis
Vaccines is a global leader in providing vaccines to protect against deadly
meningococcal disease. Through industry-leading scientific expertise, the
company is focused on extending critical meningococcal vaccines research. In
addition to developing Menveo vaccine, Novartis Vaccines is developing a
recombinant vaccine for its potential to provide broad coverage against
multiple strains of serogroup B, for which no vaccine is currently available.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Menveo vaccine is based on the same proprietary technology Novartis
Vaccines pioneered to produce Menjugate</font><b><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;font-weight:bold;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">&#174;</font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">, a meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccine
approved outside the US since 2000. The company has already distributed more
than 41 million doses of Menjugate around the world and produced MenZB</font><b><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;font-weight:bold;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">&#174;</font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">, a vaccine against a strain of
meningococcus B specific to a recent outbreak in New Zealand.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Important Safety Information</font></b></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Menveo
is contraindicated in individuals who have experienced a severe allergic
reaction after a previous dose of Menveo, any component of this vaccine, or any
other CRM</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:1.0pt;">197</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">, diphtheria
toxoid or meningococcal-containing vaccine. Appropriate medical treatment must
be available should an acute allergic reaction, including an anaphylactic
reaction, occur following administration of Menveo. Vaccinees may develop
syncope, sometimes resulting in falling with injury. Observation for 15 minutes
after vaccination is recommended. Patients who are immunocompromised or
receiving immunosuppressive therapy may have an inadequate response to
vaccination. Following vaccination with a US-licensed meningococcal
quadrivalent polysaccharide conjugate vaccine, an evaluation of postmarketing
adverse events suggested a potential for an increased risk of Guillain-Barr&#233;
syndrome (GBS). Data are not available to evaluate the potential risk of GBS
following administration of Menveo. In clinical trials, the most frequently
occurring adverse events in all subjects who received Menveo were pain at the
injection site, headache, myalgia, malaise, and nausea. Some events were
severe. Safety has not been established in pregnant women. Vaccination with
Menveo may not protect all individuals.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Disclaimer</font></b></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The
foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by
terminology such as &#147;potentially,&#148; &#147;could,&#148; &#147;plans,&#148; &#147;may,&#148; &#147;risk,&#148; &#147;dedicated,&#148;
&#147;can,&#148; &#147;potential,&#148; &#147;plans,&#148; &#147;expected,&#148; &#147;expects,&#148; &#147;will,&#148; or similar
expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential new
indications or labeling for Menveo, potential future approvals of additional
Novartis vaccines, or the timing of any such approvals or regarding potential
future revenues from such vaccines. You should not place undue reliance on
these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of
management 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, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that Menveo will be
approved for any additional indications or labeling in any market. Nor can
there be any guarantee that any additional vaccines will be approved for sale
in any markets. Neither can there be any guarantee that any such approvals will
be obtained at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that Menveo
or any additional vaccines will achieve any particular levels of revenue in the
future. In particular, management&#146;s expectations regarding Menveo or any
additional vaccines could be affected by, among other things, unexpected
clinical trial results, including unexpected new clinical data and unexpected
additional analysis of existing clinical data; unexpected regulatory actions or
delays or government regulation generally; competition in general; government,
industry and general public pricing pressures; the company&#146;s ability to obtain
or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection; the
impact that the foregoing factors could have on the values attributed to the
Novartis Group&#146;s assets and liabilities as recorded in the Group&#146;s consolidated
balance sheet, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG&#146;s current
Form&nbsp;20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Should
one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying
assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated,
believed, estimated or expected. Novartis is providing the information in this
press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update </font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">About Novartis</font></b></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Novartis
Vaccines and Diagnostics is a division of Novartis focused on the development
of preventive treatments. The division has two businesses: Novartis Vaccines
and Chiron. Novartis Vaccines is the world&#146;s fifth-largest vaccines
manufacturer and second-largest supplier of flu vaccines in the US. The
division&#146;s products also include meningococcal, pediatric and travel vaccines.
Chiron, the blood testing and molecular diagnostics business, is dedicated to
preventing the spread of infectious diseases through the development of novel
blood-screening tools that protect the world&#146;s blood supply.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Novartis provides healthcare
solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused
solely on healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet
these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals,
preventive vaccines, diagnostic tools and consumer health products. Novartis is
the only company with leading positions in these areas. In 2009, the Group&#146;s
continuing operations achieved net sales of USD 44.3 billion, while
approximately USD 7.5 billion was invested in R&amp;D activities throughout the
Group. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ
approximately 100,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than
140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit
http://www.novartis.com.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">References</font></b></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Menveo&#174; Highlights of Prescribing Information. February&nbsp;2010.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">World Health
Organization. Meningococcal Position Paper. Weekly Epidemiological Record No.&nbsp;44,
2002, 77, 329-340.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160; Prevention and Control of Meningococcal Disease
&#151; Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR
2005; 54 (RR07): 1-21.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (The Pink Book:
Course Textbook). 10</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">th</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;Edition, 2</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">nd</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;printing. February&nbsp;2008 update.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Meningococcal Disease: Frequently Asked Questions. May&nbsp;2008.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">World Health Organization. Meningococcal Meningitis
Fact sheet.</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;"> May&nbsp;2003.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">7.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Scientific
Platform: Meningococcal </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Vaccines</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">, Revised December&nbsp;11, 2008</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">8.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Schaffner, W. et al. The Changing Epidemiology of
Meningococcal Disease Among US Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults.
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. November&nbsp;2004.</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;"># # #</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Novartis Media Relations</font></b></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

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  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Eric
  Althoff</font></b></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Novartis Global
  Media Relations</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+41 61 324 7999 (direct)</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+41 79 593 4202 (mobile)</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">eric.althoff@novartis.com</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><strong><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:normal;">&nbsp;</font></b></strong></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Beth Birke</font></b></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Novartis
  Vaccines and Diagnostics</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+1 (617) 871 4281 (direct)</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+1 (617) 803 4359 (mobile)</font></p>
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">nvd.communications@novartis.com</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">e-mail: media.relations@novartis.com</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Novartis Investor Relations</font></b></p>

<p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Central phone:</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+41 61 324 7944</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Ruth Metzler-Arnold</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+41 61 324 9980</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">North America:</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pierre-Michel Bringer</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+41 61 324 1065</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Richard Jarvis</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+1 212 830 2433</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">John Gilardi</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+41 61 324 3018</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Jill Pozarek</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+1 212 830 2445</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Thomas Hungerbuehler</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+41 61 324 8425</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Edwin Valeriano</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+1 212 830 2456</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Isabella Zinck</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">+41 61 324 7188</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.14%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.78%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="23%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:23.2%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.06%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">e-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.18%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">e-mail:
  investor.relations@novartis.com</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5<a name="PB_5_030019_2897"></a></font></p>

<div style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
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<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SIGNATURES</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
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  <td width="50%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.04%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.96%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Novartis AG</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.04%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.96%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.04%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.96%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
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 <tr>
  <td width="6%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.66%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Date:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="43%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:43.38%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">February&nbsp;22</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">nd</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">, 2010</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.34%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.34%;">
  <p align="right" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="43%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:43.28%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">MALCOLM B. CHEETHAM</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.04%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.68%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="43%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:43.28%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.04%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.68%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Name:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="43%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:43.28%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Malcolm B. Cheetham</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.04%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.68%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Title:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="43%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:43.28%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Head Group Financial</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.04%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.68%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="43%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:43.28%;">
  <p style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Reporting and Accounting</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="50" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="324" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="25" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="25" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="324" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="color:windowtext;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6<a name="PB_6_024344_7056"></a></font></p>

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</div>
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