Novartis has entered into a definitive agreement to divest its influenza vaccines business to CSL Limited (CSL) for an agreed price of USD 275 million. This transaction requires regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2015.

CSL has more than 40 years of experience in the influenza vaccines business and operates in 27 countries with more than 13,000 employees worldwide. In addition to vaccines, CSL has established businesses in plasma-driven therapies, pharmaceuticals, antivenoms and immunohemotology. The Novartis influenza vaccines unit will be combined with CSL's subsidiary, bioCSL.

"In CSL, we have found not only an owner for the influenza business that shares our commitment to protecting public health, but also a strong growth platform for the business and our associates," said Joseph Jimenez, chief executive officer, of Novartis.

The Novartis influenza vaccines business has a strong track record of delivering almost 1 billion doses of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines globally over the last 30 years. The company was the first and only manufacturer with the flexibility of two production technologies - egg-based vaccines for seasonal, pandemic and pre-pandemic, and cell-culture-based vaccines for antibiotic-free production with the potential for rapid scale-up to protect against pandemic threats. The business also benefits from access to a proprietary adjuvant platform and leadership in pandemic preparedness.

Novartis remains fully committed to the influenza business during the transition period to closing, including honoring agreements with customers, research and development for influenza vaccines and product launches.

Until the transaction with CSL is completed, Novartis will continue to operate its influenza vaccines business and report its results under discontinuing operations. The influenza vaccines business will be reported together with the non-influenza business until such time as the non-influenza vaccines business is divested to GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) as part of the previously announced transaction.

As a result of today's announcement, IFRS requires a separate valuation of the influenza vaccines assets. This immediately triggers the recognition of an exceptional impairment charge of approximately USD 1.1 billion (pre-tax) as the book value of the influenza vaccines assets are above the selling price. This charge is a non-cash accounting impact and will be excluded from the Group's core results. Upon closing the deal with GSK for the remaining non-influenza vaccines business, Novartis expects to record a substantial one-time, non-cash operating income gain, which would more than compensate for the impairment charge associated with the influenza vaccines transaction.

On April 22, 2014, Novartis announced that it had reached a definitive agreement with GSK to exchange certain assets, building global leadership in key segments and focusing the Novartis portfolio. Under the agreement, which is interconditional, Novartis would strengthen the company's innovative pharmaceuticals business by acquiring GSK oncology products, and would divest Novartis Vaccines (excluding influenza) to GSK. The two companies would also create a joint venture, combining their consumer divisions to create a world-leading consumer healthcare business. Separately, Novartis announced a definitive agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) to divest its Animal Health Division, further focusing its portfolio on the leading businesses of innovative pharmaceuticals, eye care and generics. These transactions are subject to closing conditions. The Lilly transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015 and the GSK transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2015.

As announced on April 22, 2014, Novartis also expects to record significant additional one-time, non-cash operating income gains upon closing of the other inter-conditional transactions with GSK and the separate transaction with Lilly. These gains will also be excluded from the Group's core results.