600 million ready, negotiations for a new center: 700 jobs planned. . Daniel Vasella, 53, president of the Swiss giant Novartis, is cautious but expresses satisfaction. He has just met the Prime Minister in Rome, at Palazzo Chigi Romano Prodi. Vasella and Prodi had already met in Brussels, at the headquarters of the European Commission, but this time the number one of the Basel group flew to Rome to speak specifically of the Italy chapter.
Pharmaceutical companies have repeatedly complained about the uncertainties caused by price cuts and the general Italian picture, which they have repeatedly indicated as not very favorable to innovation. Recently, however, the same companies have taken note of some glimmers opened by the Government, in the direction of a different price system and greater attention to innovation. The moment, therefore, was perhaps the right one for a face-to-face meeting on the problems and opportunities of the pharmaceutical industry in the peninsula.
«We have registered a basic agreement – says Vasella – on the need to encourage innovation in our sector. We naturally hope that in the coming months words will turn into deeds and that it will really be possible to open a new phase. For us, the fundamental points are these: a stable context with an adequate pricing system and support for innovation. We believe that tax deductibility should also be assessed in Italy, as has already happened in other countries, for investments linked precisely to research and innovation».
Novartis is a global giant, with total revenue last year of 37 billion dollars. In Italy in 2006 the group achieved a turnover of 1.3 billion euros, with approximately 3,700 employees. Novartis has its Italian headquarters in Origgio (Varese) and has a manufacturing presence in Torre Annunziata (Naples) and Rovereto (Trento). The Swiss group also has the production and research site in Siena, which is now an international hub of Novartis Vaccini. And a good part of the new investments could concentrate on Siena. There are two options open. The first, close to the green light, is that of investments of up to 100 million euros for research in Siena. The second, which could be added to the first, is the creation of a new production unit for anti-meningitis vaccines. In this case, it would be an investment of around 500 million euros, with 600-700 new hires.
Moreover, Italy is not the only country in the running for this second investment. Novartis headquarters is also evaluating the possibility of building the new plant in other countries, in Europe or elsewhere. From a certain point of view, it would be better to be able to strengthen the Siena site also under the production aspect, but the group is trying to have the best conditions for the investment. Il Sole 24 Ore of 07/09/2007 ECONOMY AND BUSINESS p. 27 by Lino Terlizzi
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