Novartis has now officially opened its new UK headquarters at White City Place. The occasion was attended by Global CEO Vas Narasimhan and was marked with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock.

Novartis have moved on to the Second floor of the WestWorks building and have relocated over 600 staff to the site. The move is the latest in the a series of life sciences companies - including Autolus, Gamma Delta and Synthace - to take up residence in the region, which is emerging as a leading cluster for European life sciences research and innovation.

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, including innovative medicines, cost-saving pharmaceuticals and eye care. In 2017 Novartis invested almost £30million in R&D and is a leading sponsor of clinical trials in the UK.

Speaking at the ribbon cutting event to mark the opening of the new Novartis Headquarters, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock MP said he was “excited” about the developments at White City and its emerging ecosystem, and underlined the importance of a “holy trinity” of “private enterprise, academic research, and the effective and empowering role of Government”.