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June 14, 2009

Novartis leukemia drugs show promise December 09, 2008

" ZURICH (Reuters) - Novartis AG's cancer drug Tasigna was effective and helped

achieve rapid responses as an initial therapy in newly diagnosed patients with a

life threatening form of leukemia, the company said.

Data from two mid-stage clinical trials presented at an American Society of

Hematology meeting showed there was rapid elimination of cancer cells in 96

percent of Tasigna patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic

myeloid leukemia (CML). " Tasigna now shows potential to become the treatment of

choice for certain newly diagnosed patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, "

Novartis said in a statement. Tasigna is approved in CML in patients who no

longer respond to Glivec, currently Novartis' second-biggest seller.

Separate data presented on Monday showed nearly nine out of ten patients with

CML are still alive after seven years of a late-stage clinical trial with

Glivec. It is the longest overall survival observed for patients with

Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML, a life-threatening form of the disease,

data from a late-stage trial presented at the meeting showed.

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FYI,

Lottie

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