With de-risking the mantra, Novartis expands presence in RNAi: Narasimhan in conversation

As Novartis charts its next chapter, de-risking platform bets is a core part of the narrative. Staying ahead in radioligand therapies and building out CAR Ts in autoimmunity remain central to the strategy. But RNAi could be the next big domain — a series of deals in the past year, coupled with in-house research, are underpinning a push to add new formats and indications that could make the pharma a major player in the modality. 

Vasant “Vas” Narasimhan, CEO of  Novartis AG (SIX:NOVN; NYSE:NVS), is building a stable of assets in focused areas, creating beachheads and then expanding from them. He’s long eschewed the herd mentality, skipping the chase, for example, for post-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors, while entering the radioligand therapy arena before it was fashionable. ...