BASEL, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis (NOVN.S) on Wednesday predicted that core operating income would grow in a "mid single digit" percentage range in 2023, following stagnation last year.

Full-year core operating income was broadly flat at $16.7 billion, it said in a statement, coming in slightly below market expectations of $16.8 billion.

Adjusted for overall negative currency effects, group sales in 2022 advanced 4% to $50.5 billion as gains from heart failure drug Entresto and multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Kesimpta were partly offset by competition from cheap generic copies of established MS drug Gilenya.

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