Novartis’s advanced technological platforms are bringing a new generation of medicines that transform the treatment paradigm for some of the most serious diseases with a personalised approach to each patient, explains Novartis President for Serbia and Montenegro Nikola Stojković.
Speaking in this interview for CorD’s special edition, Stojković explains how a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to researching and developing innovative therapies operates on our market, the partnerships it builds, and how it improves treatment outcomes for the most severe diseases.
Where do you see your contribution to the local market?
— Our priority in Serbia and Montenegro is to contribute to improving the quality of life for patients and extending their longevity through the availability of the most advanced therapies and scientific innovations, particularly in therapeutic areas that place the greatest burden on society, such as oncology, cardiovascular diseases, immunology, neurology and haematology.
In addition to synthetic and biological therapies, our commitment to medical discoveries is reinforced by advanced technological platforms like RNA technology, radioligand therapy, and gene and cell therapies. These platforms are bringing us a completely new generation of medicines that transform the treatment paradigm for some of the most serious diseases, with a personalised approach to each patient. Our engagement in the local community involves partnerships and the pooling of capacities, resources and knowledge with all healthcare stakeholders. Through multisector collaboration, we aim to contribute collectively to create positive changes in the healthcare environment, significantly impacting the overall development of society.
Which partnerships in Serbia would you highlight?
— Partnerships are particularly important in areas where we face the greatest challenges. First and foremost, these are cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in Serbia. It is encouraging that addressing this problem can be enhanced significantly by pooling the resources of Serbia’s research and scientific institutions and Novartis, which has longstanding experience in creating innovative solutions. One project that Novartis is implementing in partnership with the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering at the University of Belgrade is genetic testing, aimed at determining the genetic profile of patients with hereditary lipid disorders and establishing a national screening programme for familial hypercholesterolemia . We are also engaged in projects focused on digitalization and the application of AI in healthcare. This includes the clinical decision support system, designed to generate and analyse data from healthcare institutions to enable faster diagnosis, improve treatment quality and increase efficiency.
What is the key to improving treatment outcomes for the aforementioned diseases?
— Raising awareness of the importance of prevention, early recognition and timely therapy intervention is a significant part of improving health. In addition to healthcare professionals and the association “Moja druga šansa” [My Second Chance], significant support for our campaign “U ritmu Čuke” [In the Rhythm of the Ticker] has been provided by Football Club Čukarički. With the campaign “Jača sam od (m)raka” [I’m Stronger than Cancer], conducted in cooperation with the Women’s Centre Milica, our aim is to motivate women to perform self-examinations and to have ultrasound and mammography screenings, through messages from patients who’ve successfully battled breast cancer. Early detection of cancer is the first crucial step toward successful treatment. Adequate treatment, including the availability of adjuvant therapies, reduces the risk of disease recurrence and progression to metastatic cancer, representing an investment in health and allowing women to return to normal life.