Is Novartis looking at divesting some of its respiratory drugs? Drugmaker says no

Fierce Pharma -------- A year ago, Novartis inked a high-profile partnership with tech giant Qualcomm to develop a smart inhaler, in a clear bid to compete with its chief rival in the respiratory market, GlaxoSmithKline, which had formed a similar partnership with Propeller Health. But now a report out of India suggests Novartis may be looking to retreat from the increasingly competitive market for asthma and COPD drugs and is seeking to sell off some brands. India’s Economic Times, quoting anonymous sources, reports that Novartis is weighing offers for its respiratory portfolio from top India-based generic drugmakers, including Cipla, Zydus Cadila, Sun Pharmaceutical and Lupin. The portfolio could be worth up to $500 million, the sources said, and it includes Tobi Podhaler, a drug to treat cystic fibrosis. To learn more click on the picture below to read the article.