Press Release: Novartis delivered high -5-

This communication does not constitute a solicitation of a proxy. Novartis, Avidity and their respective directors, executive officers and certain employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Avidity in connection with the Transactions. Information regarding the special interests of these directors and executive officers in the Transactions will be included in the definitive proxy statement referred to above. Security holders may also obtain information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of the Novartis directors and executive officers in the Novartis Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. Security holders may obtain information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of Avidity's directors and executive officers in Avidity's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, which was filed with the SEC on April 29, 2025. To the extent the holdings of Avidity's securities by Avidity's directors and executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in Avidity's definitive proxy statement for its 2025 annual meeting of stockholders, such changes have been or will be reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. These documents (when available) may be obtained free of charge from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, the Novartis website at https://www.novartis.com and Avidity's website at investors.aviditybiosciences.com/sec-filings https://investors.aviditybiosciences.com/sec-filings. The contents of the websites referenced above are not deemed to be incorporated by reference into the proxy statement.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Transactions or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

About Novartis

Novartis is an innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach nearly 300 million people worldwide.

Reimagine medicine with us: Visit us at https://www.novartis.com/ https://www.novartis.com and connect with us on https://www.linkedin.com/company/novartis/ LinkedIn, https://www.facebook.com/novartis/ Facebook, https://twitter.com/Novartis X and https://instagram.com/novartis?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==__;!!N3hqHg43uw!pjp8z253J5NjaOYrW65UbAAlHeHRdQ-w0m4ezZxEQEl0ptafXN2M99VRIk39pf49PAc8NbK93Pxp3uaSBQkAf8oEnzWXG8Sk$ Instagram.

Novartis will conduct a conference call with investors to discuss this news release today at 14:00 Central European time and 8:00 Eastern Time. A simultaneous webcast of the call for investors and other interested parties may be accessed by visiting the Novartis website. A replay will be available after the live webcast by visiting https://www.novartis.com/investors/event-calendar.

Detailed financial results accompanying this press release are included in the Condensed Financial Report at the link below. Additional information is provided on our business and pipeline of selected compounds in late-stage development. A copy of today's earnings call presentation can be found at https://www.novartis.com/investors/event-calendar.

Novartis issued its 2025 Annual Report today, and it is available at www.novartis.com. Novartis will also file its 2025 Annual Report on Form 20-F with the US Securities and Exchange Commission today, and will post this document on www.novartis.com. Novartis shareholders may receive a hard copy of either of these documents, each of which contains our complete audited financial statements, free of charge, upon request.

Important dates

March 6, 2026 Annual General Meeting

April 28, 2026 First quarter 2026 results

July 21, 2026 Second quarter & half year 2026 results

October 27, 2026 Third quarter & nine months 2026 results

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Novartis Media Relations

E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com

Novartis Investor Relations Central investor relations

line: +41 61 324 7944 E-mail:

investor.relations@novartis.com

Please find full media release in English attached and on the following link:

Media Release (PDF) http://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/145394c2-60f1-46ae-b4b1-5b9edec9fade

Further language versions are available through the following links:

German version is available through the following link:

Medienmitteilung (PDF) http://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/a2fc2cb2-2655-46c5-a353-9eeb656d65ea

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 04, 2026 01:00 ET (06:00 GMT)