Novartis reaction to ongoing judicial probe in Greece

Novartis Hellas, the Swiss pharmaceutical company's subsidiary in Greece, broke its silence on Monday over an explosive political firestorm in the country regarding allegations that it provided kickbacks and engaged in price-fixing.

In a statement on its website, in Greek, Novartis Hellas said an investigation is ongoing, and that the company will not comment on "rumors and charges reproduced by the mass media, which are the product of selective leaks of a confidential case file, and part of the investigative process."

Novartis Hellas also said the larger part of the contents in the case file have not been made known to the pharmaceutical firm, "nor is there an indictment against the company nor its employees".