Novartis (NVS) 20-F 2022 FY Annual report (foreign)

Exhibit 13.1

CERTIFICATION OF VASANT NARASIMHAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF NOVARTIS AG PURSUANT TO SECTION 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350, AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (subsections (a) and (b) of Section 1350, Chapter 63 of Title 18, United States Code), the undersigned officer of Novartis AG, a Swiss corporation (the “Company”), hereby certifies, to the best of such officer’s knowledge, that:

1. The Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2021 (the “Form 20-F”) of the Company fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in the Form 20-F fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: February 1, 2023

By:   /s/  VASANT NARASIMHAN

Name:  Vasant Narasimhan

Title:  Chief Executive Officer