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  • March 2014 (Revised November 2020)
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The Novartis Malaria Initiative

By: Michael Chu, Vincent Marie Dessain and Emilie Billaud
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:32
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Abstract

The Novartis Malaria Initiative was designed, as a result of a precedent–setting agreement with the World Health Organization in 2001, to provide a breakthrough treatment for malaria—"at no profit"—for public health systems. What had begun as an exemplary act of corporate responsibility had succeeded beyond any expectations. In 2012, for the second year in a row, Novartis had manufactured and distributed over 100 million units of the anti–malarial drug Coartem ®. But with the significantly increased volumes came increased costs, bringing into question the sustainability of the program. In 2013, Dr. Linus Igwemezie, executive vice president and head of the Novartis Malaria Initiative, reflected on the evolution of the program and the way forward. His goal was to expand access to Coartem in the private sector through a low-margin, high-volume social business model to eventually enable the Malaria Initiative to break even and become financially sustainable. Was this the right strategy?

Keywords

Health Care and Treatment; Product Marketing; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Social Enterprise; Pharmaceutical Industry; Switzerland; Africa; Nigeria

Citation

Chu, Michael, Vincent Marie Dessain, and Emilie Billaud. "The Novartis Malaria Initiative." Harvard Business School Case 314-103, March 2014. (Revised November 2020.)
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About The Author

Michael Chu

General Management
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Related Work

    • March 2014 (Revised November 2020)
    • Faculty Research

    The Novartis Malaria Initiative

    By: Michael Chu, Vincent Marie Dessain and Emilie Billaud
Related Work
  • The Novartis Malaria Initiative By: Michael Chu, Vincent Marie Dessain and Emilie Billaud
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