A class-action lawsuit alleging that Novartis Pharmaceuticals practiced sex discrimination against female employees is set to go to trial on Wednesday in federal court in New York. The complaint seeks more than $200 million in damages on behalf of more than 5,600 female sales employees. The suit alleges that Novartis, the United States subsidiary of the Swiss drug giant, discriminated against women in pay and promotions — especially women who became pregnant... Novartis denies the claims and is proud of its record in hiring and promoting women, Amy L. Bess, a lawyer for the company, said on Tuesday. She noted that Novartis had been cited by Working Mother magazine as one of the 100 best companies in the nation for 10 years in a row, through 2009. [also refers to Wal-Mart, Sanofi-Aventis]