Free Submission Public Relations & NewsPR-inside.com
 
DeutschEnglish

Get the latest news
with our RSS feed
rss feed
Add to My Yahoo!
More information
Business

Significant potential of late- and mid-stage Novartis hematology portfolio to be showcased at upcoming ASH meeting


Print article Print article
Refer this article Refer to a friend
Copyright © Hugin AS 2009. All rights reserved.
2009-12-02 07:17:54 -


London, December , 02, 2009
Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin AS.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this 
announcement. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------    




  * Late-breaking abstract to report data from pivotal trial of
    Tasigna® versus Glivec® in newly diagnosed patients with a form
    of chronic myeloid leukemia

  * Data from Phase II studies to show the potential of everolimus in
    a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and of panobinostat in
    Hodgkin lymphoma[1],[2]

  * Oral presentation featuring early data on midostaurin to show
    promise in FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia[3]

  * New data to be presented on a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor,
    recently added to the Novartis Oncology pipeline[4],[5]

  * Two-year data from EPIC trial to demonstrate Exjade® continues to
    significantly reduce toxic iron that can damage the heart of
    chronically transfused patients[6]

Basel, December 2,  2009 -  Novartis announced today  that new  data,
including a late-breaking presentation  on Tasigna® (nilotinib) in  a
form of chronic  myeloid leukemia,  demonstrate the  strength of  the
company's hematology portfolio in advancing the care of patients.

The new data, at the 51st American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual
Meeting and Exposition, highlight the company's current therapies and
investigational   agents   in   195   studies   including   39   oral
presentations.  Data  will   be  presented   on  Tasigna,   Afinitor®
(everolimus)  tablets,  Exjade®  (deferasirox)  and  pipeline  agents
including PKC412  (midostaurin),  LBH589 (panobinostat),  BHQ880  and
INCB18424,  an oral, selective Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor that  was
recently  added  to  the   oncology  pipeline  through  a   licensing
agreement.

"Data  presented  at  ASH  will  demonstrate  the  vigorous  research
underway to explore the best  treatment approaches for patients  with
rare blood cancers and conditions," said David Epstein, President and
CEO, Novartis Oncology and Novartis Molecular Diagnostics. "We expect
these data  to  lay the  groundwork  for regulatory  submissions  and
provide a  roadmap  for  the initiation  of  late-stage  and  pivotal
trials."

The  ASH  Annual  Meeting  will   feature  results  from  a   pivotal
head-to-head study  comparing  the  efficacy and  safety  of  Tasigna
versus Glivec®  (imatinib)* in  adult patients  with newly  diagnosed
Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic  myeloid leukemia (Ph+  CML)
in chronic phase (Abstract #LBA-1; Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at  7:30
AM CST).
Data  from  this  Phase  III  clinical  trial,  ENESTnd   (Evaluating
Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety in  Clinical Trials of Newly  Diagnosed
Ph+ CML Patients), will show that Tasigna produced faster and  deeper
responses than Glivec when used as first-line therapy.

Other key presentations at ASH include:

  * Everolimus Phase II data to show efficacy and safety in patients
    with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) who had relapsed or
    become resistant to prior treatment (Abstract #587; Monday,
    December 7, 2009 at 3:45 PM CST)[1]
  * LBH589 (panobinostat) data from two early phase studies to show
    efficacy in heavily pre-treated patients with multiple myeloma
    and Hodgkin lymphoma (Abstract #3852; Monday, December 7, 2009 at
    6:00 PM CST; Abstract #923; Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 8:30 AM
    CST)[2],[7]
  * PKC412 (midostaurin) early stage data will demonstrate benefit in
    patients with FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia when used in
    combination with chemotherapy (Abstract #634; Monday, December 7,
    2009 at 5:15 PM CST)[3]
  * INCB18424 data from a Phase II study in advanced polycythemia
    vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) refractory to
    hydroxyurea (Abstract #311; Monday, December 7, 2009, 8:00 AM
    CST)[5]
  * INCB18424 long-term follow-up data to demonstrate durable
    clinical, functional and symptomatic responses with excellent
    hematological safety in patients with myelofibrosis (Abstract
    #756; Monday, December 7, 2009 at 5:45 PM CST)[4]
  * Exjade two-year data from EPIC (Evaluation of Patients Iron
    Chelation with Exjade) trial to show benefit of Exjade for
    chronically transfused beta-thalassemia  patients by continuing
    to significantly reduce toxic iron that can damage the heart
    (Abstract #4062; Monday, December 7, 2009 at 6:00 PM CST)[6]
  * BHQ880 preliminary Phase I study data in combination with Zometa®
    (zoledronic acid) and an approved anti-myeloma therapy in
    patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who
    experienced a prior skeletal-related event (Abstract #750;
    Monday, December 7, 2009 at 5:45 PM CST)[8].[9]

The Novartis Oncology  pipeline features compounds  in all phases  of
development, including six in late-stage development, and encompasses
a broad array of therapeutic strategies for fighting cancer.

About Tasigna[10]
Tasigna is approved in  more than 80 countries  for the treatment  of
chronic phase  and  accelerated  phase  Ph+  CML  in  adult  patients
resistant or  intolerant to  at least  one prior  therapy,  including
Glivec. The effectiveness of Tasigna for this indication is based  on
confirmed hematologic  and  unconfirmed cytogenetic  response  rates.
There are no controlled trials demonstrating a clinical benefit, such
as improvement in disease-related symptoms or increased survival.

Tasigna important safety information
Because taking Tasigna with food may  increase the amount of drug  in
the blood, Tasigna should not be taken with food and patients  should
wait at  least two  hours  after a  meal  before taking  Tasigna.  In
addition, no food should be consumed for at least one hour after  the
dose is taken.

The most  frequent Grade  3  or 4  adverse  events for  Tasigna  were
primarily  hematological  in  nature  and  included  neutropenia  and
thrombocytopenia. Elevations seen in bilirubin, liver function tests,
lipase enzymes and  blood sugar, were  mostly transient and  resolved
over time.  These  cases  were  easily  managed  and  rarely  led  to
discontinuation of treatment. Pancreatitis was reported in less  than
1% of cases. The  most frequent non-hematologic drug-related  adverse
events were rash, pruritus,  nausea, fatigue, headache,  constipation
and diarrhea. Most of these adverse  events were mild to moderate  in
severity.

Tasigna should be used with caution in patients with uncontrolled  or
significant cardiac disease  (e.g., recent  heart attack,  congestive
heart   failure,   unstable   angina   or   clinically    significant
bradycardia), as  well  as  in  patients  who  have  or  may  develop
prolongation of  QTc.  These  include patients  with  abnormally  low
potassium or  magnesium  levels,  patients with  congenital  long  QT
syndrome, patients taking  anti-arrhythmic medicines  or other  drugs
that may  lead  to  QT  prolongation.  Low  levels  of  potassium  or
magnesium must be  corrected prior to  Tasigna administration.  Close
monitoring for  an effect  on the  QTc interval  is advisable  and  a
baseline echocardiogram is  recommended prior  to initiating  therapy
with Tasigna and as clinically indicated.

About Glivec[11]
Glivec is approved in more than 90 countries, including the US, EU
and Japan, for the treatment of all phases of Ph+ CML. Glivec is also
approved in the US, EU and other countries for the treatment of
patients with Kit (CD117)-positive gastrointestinal tumors (GIST),
which cannot be surgically removed and/or have already spread to
other parts of the body (metastasized). In the US and EU, Glivec is
now approved for the post-surgery treatment of adult patients
following complete surgical removal of Kit (CD117)-positive
gastrointestinal stromal tumors. In the EU, Glivec is also approved
for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ acute
lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) in combination with chemotherapy and
as a single agent for patients with relapsed or refractory Ph+ ALL.
Glivec is also approved for the treatment of adult patients with
unresectable, recurrent and/or metastatic dermatofibrosarcoma
protuberans (DFSP) who are not eligible for surgery. Glivec is also
approved for the treatment of patients with
myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases (MDS/MPD). Glivec is also
approved for hypereosinophilic syndrome and/or chronic eosinophilic
leukemia (HES/CEL).

The effectiveness of  Glivec is  based on  overall hematological  and
cytogenetic response rates and  progression-free survival in CML,  on
hematological and cytogenetic response rates in Ph+ ALL, MDS/MPD,  on
hematological response rates in systemic mastocytosis (SM),  HES/CEL,
on  objective  response  rates   and  progression-free  survival   in
unresectable and/or metastatic GIST,  on recurrence-free survival  in
adjuvant GIST  and on  objective response  rates in  DFSP.  Increased
survival in controlled  trials has  been demonstrated  only in  newly
diagnosed chronic phase CML and GIST.

Not all indications are available in every country.

Glivec important safety information
The majority of patients treated with Glivec in clinical trials
experienced adverse events at some time. Most events were of mild to
moderate grade and treatment discontinuation was not necessary in the
majority of cases.

The safety profile of Glivec was similar in all indications. The most
common side effects included nausea, superficial edema, muscle
cramps, skin rash, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, myalgia,
arthralgia, hemorrhage, fatigue, headache, joint pain, cough,
dizziness, dyspepsia and dyspnea, dermatitis, eczema and fluid
retention, as well as neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia.
Glivec was generally well tolerated in all of the studies that were
performed, either as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy,
with the exception of a transient liver toxicity in the form of
transaminase elevation and hyperbilirubinemia observed when Glivec
was combined with high dose chemotherapy.

Rare/serious adverse reactions include: sepsis, pneumonia,
depression, convulsions, cardiac failure, thrombosis/embolism, ileus,
pancreatitis, hepatic failure, exfoliative dermatitis, angioedema,
Stevens-Johnson syndrome, renal failure, fluid retention, edema
(including brain, eye, pericardium, abdomen and lung), hemorrhage
(including brain, eye, kidney and gastrointestinal tract),
diverticulitis, gastrointestinal perforation, tumor
hemorrhage/necrosis and hip osteonecrosis/avascular necrosis.

Patients with cardiac disease or risk factors for cardiac failure
should be monitored carefully and any patient with signs or symptoms
consistent with cardiac failure should be evaluated and treated.
Cardiac screening should be considered in patients with HES/CEL, and
patients with MDS/MPD with high level of eosinophils (echocardiogram,
serum troponin level).

Glivec is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity  to
imatinib or any  of its excipients.  Women of childbearing  potential
should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while taking Glivec.

About everolimus
In the US, everolimus is approved  under the trade name Afinitor  for
the treatment of  patients with advanced  renal cell carcinoma  (RCC)
after failure  of  treatment  with sunitinib  or  sorafenib.  In  the
European Union  (EU),  Afinitor  is approved  for  the  treatment  of
patients with advanced RCC whose  disease has progressed on or  after
treatment with  vascular  endothelial growth  factor  (VEGF)-targeted
therapy. Further, in  the EU,  everolimus is  available in  different
dosage strengths under the trade name Certican® for the prevention of
organ rejection in heart and kidney transplant recipients.

With once-daily  dosing,  everolimus continuously  targets  mammalian
target of rapamycin (mTOR) in cancer cells, a protein that acts as  a
central regulator of  tumor cell  division, blood  vessel growth  and
cell metabolism. Everolimus is being studied in multiple tumor types,
including  breast  cancer,  neuroendocrine  tumors,  gastric  cancer,
hepatocellular carcinoma  (HCC) and  non-Hodgkin lymphoma  (NHL),  as
well as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

As an investigational  compound, the safety  and efficacy profile  of
everolimus has not  yet been  established in these  cancer and  tumor
types. Access  to everolimus  for  these cancer  and tumor  types  is
available through carefully controlled and monitored clinical trials.
These trials are designed to better understand the potential benefits
and risks  of the  compound. For  more information  about  everolimus
clinical    trials,     healthcare    professionals     can     visit
www.theWIDEprogram.com.  Because  of  the  uncertainty  of   clinical
trials, there  is  no  guarantee that  everolimus  will  ever  become
commercially available for these cancer  and tumor types anywhere  in
the world.

Afinitor (everolimus) tablets important safety information
Afinitor is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to
everolimus, to other rapamycin derivatives or to any of the
excipients.

Cases of non-infectious pneumonitis have been described; some of
these have been severe and occasionally fatal. Management of
pneumonitis may require dose adjustment and/or interruption, or
discontinuation of treatment and/or addition of corticosteroid
therapy.

Afinitor is immunosuppressive. Localized and systemic bacterial,
fungal, viral or protozoal infections (e.g., pneumonia,
aspergillosis, candidiasis, hepatitis B reactivation) have been
described; some of these have been severe and occasionally fatal.
Pre-existing infections should be treated prior to starting
treatment. Be vigilant for symptoms and signs of infection; in case
of emergent infections, institute appropriate treatment promptly and
consider interruption or discontinuation of Afinitor. Patients with
systemic invasive fungal infections should not receive Afinitor.

Mouth ulcers, stomatitis and oral mucositis have been seen in
patients treated with Afinitor. Monitoring of renal function, blood
glucose and complete blood counts is recommended prior to initiation
and periodically during treatment.

Afinitor is not recommended in patients with severe hepatic
impairment. Use of live vaccines should be avoided. Afinitor is not
recommended during pregnancy or for women of childbearing potential
not using contraception. Afinitor may cause fetal harm in pregnant
women. Women should not breast feed.

Avoid concurrent treatment with strong CYP3A4 and PgP inhibitors and
use caution with moderate inhibitors. Avoid concurrent treatment with
strong CYP3A4 or PgP inducers.

The most common adverse reactions (>=10%) include stomatitis, rash,
fatigue, asthenia, diarrhea, anorexia, nausea, mucosal inflammation,
vomiting, cough, infections, peripheral edema, dry skin, epistaxis,
pneumonitis, pruritus, dyspnea and dysgeusia. Common adverse
reactions (>=1 to <10%) include headache, dry mouth, pyrexia, weight
decreased, hand-foot syndrome, abdominal pain, erythema, insomnia,
dyspepsia, dysphagia, hypertension, increased daytime urination,
dehydration, chest pain, hemoptysis and exacerbation of diabetes
mellitus. Uncommon adverse reactions (<1%) include ageusia,
congestive cardiac failure, new-onset diabetes mellitus, impaired
wound healing, grade 1 hemorrhage and hepatitis B reactivation.

About Exjade
Exjade is  approved in  more  than 90  countries, including  the  US,
Switzerland, Japan and the  countries comprising the European  Union.
Exjade  is  indicated  for  chronic   iron  overload  due  to   blood
transfusions. The  approved indication  may vary  depending upon  the
individual country. Exjade  is approved  for use  at doses  up to  40
mg/kg in many  countries, including  the US,  Canada, Australia,  and
Switzerland. Exjade  may  be  available in  additional  countries  at
similar dosing pending approval. The European Medicines Agency (EMEA)
is currently considering an application for similar dosing (up to  40
mg/kg) in the European Union.

Disclaimer: The results seen in the  EPIC study were achieved with  a
starting dose of 30 mg/kg, which is not approved in all countries and
a dose range up to 45 mg/kg which is not approved in any country.

Exjade important safety information
Exjade is contraindicated  in patients with  hypersensitivity to  the
active substance or  to any of  the excipients. Exjade  has not  been
studied in patients with renal  impairment and is contraindicated  in
patients with moderate/severe renal impairment.

Caution should be  utilized in  high-risk MDS  patients and  patients
with other hematological and  non-hematological malignancies who  are
not expected  to benefit  from  chelation therapy  due to  the  rapid
progression of  their  disease. Caution  should  be used  in  elderly
patients due to a higher frequency of adverse reactions.
There have been postmarketing reports of acute renal failure, hepatic
failure and cytopenias in patients  treated with Exjade, some with  a
fatal outcome.  Monthly monitoring  of serum  creatinine,  creatinine
clearance, proteinuria, serum transaminases  is recommended, and  the
dose of Exjade should be  modified or interrupted if necessary.  More
frequent creatinine  monitoring is  recommended in  patients with  an
increased risk of renal complications. Liver function tests should be
conducted every  2 weeks  during  the first  month of  treatment  and
monthly thereafter. Upper gastrointestinal ulceration and  hemorrhage
have been reported and caution should be exercised when combined with
drugs with ulcerogenic  potential. There  have been  rare reports  of
fatal GI hemorrhages, especially in elderly patients who had advanced
hematologic malignancies and/or low  platelet counts. Caution  should
be used in patients with platelet counts <50 x 1.000.000.000/L.  Skin
rashes, including  hypersensitivity  reactions, have  been  reported.
Exjade should be interrupted if severe rash develops and discontinued
if severe hypersensitivity reaction  occurs. Auditory and  ophthalmic
testing should be conducted annually.

Exjade  should  not  be  taken  with  aluminium-containing  antacids.
Caution should  be  exercised  when Exjade  is  combined  with  drugs
metabolized through CYP3A4, CYP2C8  substrates, potent UGT  inducers,
drugs with ulcerogenic potential and anticoagulants.

The most  common adverse  reactions in  clinical trials  are  nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, non-progressive increase in
serum  creatinine,  increased  transaminases,  abdominal  distension,
constipation, dyspepsia, proteinuria and headache.

About midostaurin (PKC412)
Midostaurin is a multi-targeted kinase inhibitor that suppresses  the
FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase, resulting in increased cell death  and
reduced cell division  in tumors.  The FLT3  gene is  one of  several
cancer genes associated with the development of AML and approximately
30% of AML patients will have a mutation in their FLT3 gene. Patients
who have  this  mutation have  poor  prognosis with  reduced  overall
survival, and show higher relapse rates when compared to patients who
do not have the mutation, often referred to as FLT3-wild-type.

There is an ongoing  global randomized, placebo-controlled Phase  III
clinical trial  called CALGB  10603-RATIFY (Randomized  AML Trial  In
FLT3 in  <60 Year  Olds)  to study  midostaurin in  combination  with
standard chemotherapy in newly  diagnosed patients with  FLT3-mutated
AML. This is a multi-cooperative group global trial, sponsored by the
Cancer and Leukemia  Group B  (CALGB) in North  America and  Novartis
outside North America.

About panobinostat (LBH589)
Panobinostat  is  a  potent   pan-deacetylase  (DAC)  inhibitor.   By
interfering in the  nucleus with gene  expression and  transcription,
panobinostat decreases tumor cell  division, causes tumor cell  death
and inhibits the  formation of  new blood vessels  that feed  tumors.
Furthermore, in diseases that involve  plasma cells such as  multiple
myeloma, panobinostat inhibits HDAC6 (a key enzyme in the elimination
of pathologically hypersecreted  monoclonal immunoglobulins)  leading
to cell death.

About BHQ880
BHQ880 is  a  first-in-class, fully  human,  anti-dickkopf-1  (DKK-1)
neutralizing antibody.  By  inhibiting  the  DDK-1  antibody,  BHQ880
promotes activity of osteoblasts, cells that form bones.

About INCB18424
INCB18424  (also  known  as  INCB018424)  is  a  Janus  kinase  (JAK)
inhibitor. This oral targeted  therapy is now  in Phase III  clinical
trials  for  the  treatment  of  myelofibrosis,  a   life-threatening
neoplastic condition  with no  effective  medical treatment  that  is
characterized by varying degrees of bone marrow failure, splenomegaly
(enlarged  spleen)  and  debilitating  symptoms.  INCB18424  has  the
potential of  becoming a  first-in-class  therapeutic agent  for  the
treatment of this and other hematologic diseases.

About Zometa
Zometa is  indicated  for the  treatment  or prevention  of  skeletal
related events (pathological fractures, spinal compression, radiation
or surgery to bone, or tumor-induced hypercalcemia) in patients  with
advanced malignancies involving bone. An intravenous  bisphosphonate,
Zometa is the  only therapy  to demonstrate efficacy  in reducing  or
delaying bone complications across a broad range of tumor types  such
as breast, prostate, lung  and renal cell  cancers, in patients  with
metastatic disease when administered monthly. Zometa offers patients,
nurses and clinicians a 4 mg, 15-minute infusion.

Zometa is the world's leading  treatment for the prevention or  delay
of  skeletal-related  events   (SREs)  in   patients  with   advanced
malignancies  involving  bone  across   a  broad  range  of   tumors.
Laboratory research has suggested that  Zometa may also help  protect
patients from  the  spread of  cancer  to  other parts  of  the  body
(distant metastatic sites) and help keep patients recurrence-free.

Zometa important safety information
Zometa has  been  associated  with reports  of  renal  insufficiency.
Patients  should  be  adequately  rehydrated  and  have  their  serum
creatinine assessed prior to  receiving each dose  of Zometa. Due  to
the risk of clinically  significant deterioration in renal  function,
single doses of  Zometa should not  exceed 4 mg  and the duration  of
infusion should be  no less than  15 minutes in  100 ml of  dilutent.
Severe and  occasionally incapacitating  bone, joint,  and/or  muscle
pain has been reported  in patients taking bisphosphonates  including
Zometa. Caution is advised when  Zometa is used in  aspirin-sensitive
patients,  or  with   aminoglycosides,  loop   diuretics  and   other
potentially  nephrotoxic  drugs.  Zometa  contains  the  same  active
ingredient (zoledronic  acid) as  found in  Aclasta®. Patients  being
treated with Zometa should not be treated with Aclasta concomitantly.

In  clinical  trials,  the  most  commonly  reported  adverse  events
included flu-like  syndrome (fever,  arthralgias, myalgias,  skeletal
pain), fatigue, gastrointestinal reactions, anemia, weakness,  cough,
dyspnea and edema. Zometa should not be used during pregnancy. Zometa
is  contraindicated   in   patients   with   clinically   significant
hypersensitivity to zoledronic acid or other bisphosphonates, or  any
of the excipients in the formulation of Zometa.

Osteonecrosis of the  Jaw (ONJ):  ONJ has been  reported in  patients
with   cancer   receiving   treatment   including    bisphosphonates,
chemotherapy, and/or corticosteroids. The majority of reported  cases
have been associated with dental procedures such as tooth extraction.
A dental examination with appropriate preventive dentistry should  be
considered prior to treatment  with bisphosphonates in patients  with
concomitant risk factors. While  on treatment, these patients  should
avoid invasive dental procedures if  possible. No data are  available
to suggest whether discontinuation of bisphosphonate therapy  reduces
the risk of  ONJ in  patients requiring dental  procedures. A  causal
relationship  between  bisphosphonate  use  and  ONJ  has  not   been
established.

Not all indications are  approved in every  country. Please see  full
Prescribing Information.

Disclaimer
The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be
identified by terminology such as "potential," "to present," "to
show," "to demonstrate," "can," "will," "to explore," "pipeline," or
similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding
potential new indications or labeling, or potential marketing
approvals for the products described in this release, or regarding
potential future revenues from such products. You should not place
undue reliance on these statements.  Such forward-looking statements
reflect the current views of management regarding future events, and
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that
may cause actual results to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
statements. There can be no guarantee that any of the products or
additional indications or labeling described in this release will be
submitted for approval or approved for sale in any market. Nor can
there be any guarantee that any of these products will achieve any
particular levels of revenue in the future. In particular,
management's expectations regarding these products could be affected
by, among other things, unexpected clinical trial results, including
unexpected new clinical data and unexpected additional analysis of
existing clinical data; unexpected regulatory actions or delays or
government regulation generally; the company's ability to obtain or
maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property
protection; competition in general; government, industry and general
public pricing pressures; the impact that the foregoing factors could
have on the values attributed to the Novartis Group's assets and
liabilities as recorded in the Group's consolidated balance sheet,
and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form
20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Should
one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of
this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis
Novartis provides  healthcare  solutions that  address  the  evolving
needs of  patients  and  societies.  Focused  solely  on  healthcare,
Novartis offers a  diversified portfolio  to best  meet these  needs:
innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive
vaccines, diagnostic tools and consumer health products. Novartis  is
the only company with leading positions in these areas. In 2008,  the
Group's continuing operations achieved net sales of USD 41.5  billion
and net income of USD 8.2 billion. Approximately USD 7.2 billion  was
invested in  R&D activities  throughout the  Group. Headquartered  in
Basel, Switzerland,  Novartis  Group companies  employ  approximately
99,000 full-time-equivalent associates and  operate in more than  140
countries around  the  world.  For  more  information,  please  visit
www.novartis.com.

*Known as Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) tablets in the US, Canada  and
Israel.

References
[1] Ghobrial, et al. A Phase II Trial of the Oral mTOR Inhibitor
Everolimus (RAD001) in Relapsed or Refractory Waldenstrom's
Macroglobulinemia. 51st American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting
and Exposition, New Orleans, LA. December 5-8, 2009.
[2] Younes, et al. Efficacy of Panobinostat in Phase II Study in
Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) After
High-Dose Chemotherapy with Autologous Stem Cell Transplant. 51st
American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, New
Orleans, LA. December 5-8, 2009.
[3] Stone, et al. A Phase 1b Study of Midostaurin (PKC412) in
Combination with Daunorubicin and Cytarabine Induction and High-Dose
Cytarabine Consolidation in Patients Under Age 61 with Newly
Diagnosed De Novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Overall Survival of
Patients Whose Blasts Have FLT3 Mutations is Similar to Those with
Wild-Type FLT3. 51st American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting
and Exposition, New Orleans, LA. December 5-8, 2009.
[4] Verstovsek, et al.  Long-Term Follow Up and Optimized Dosing
Regimen of INCB018424 in Patients with Myelofibrosis: Durable
Clinical, Functional and Symptomatic Responses with Improved
Hematological Safety. 51st American Society of Hematology Annual
Meeting and Exposition, New Orleans, LA. December 5-8, 2009.
[5] Verstovsek, et al.  A Phase 2 Study of INCB018424, An Oral,
Selective JAK1/JAK2 Inhibitor, in Patients with Advanced Polycythemia
Vera (PV) and Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) Refractory to
Hydroxyurea. 51st American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and
Exposition, New Orleans, LA. December 5-8, 2009.
[6] Pennell, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Deferasirox (Exjade®) in ß
-Thalassemia Patients with Myocardial Siderosis: 2-Year Results From
the EPIC Cardiac Sub-Study. 51st American Society of Hematology
Annual Meeting and Exposition, New Orleans, LA. December 5-8, 2009.
[7] San-Miguel, et al. A Phase IB, Multi-Center, Open-Label
Dose-Escalation Study of Oral Panobinostat (LBH589) and I.V.
Bortezomib in Patients with Relapsed Multiple Myeloma. 51st American
Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, New Orleans, LA.
December 5-8, 2009.
[8] Padmanabhan, et al. A Phase I/II Study of BHQ880, a Novel
Osteoblat Activating, Anti-DKK1 Human Monoclonal Antibody, in
Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma (MM) Patients Treated with
Zoledronic Acid (Zol) and Anti-Myeloma Therapy (MM Tx). 51st American
Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, New Orleans, LA.
December 5-8, 2009.
[9] Zometa Prescribing Information. March 2008.
[10] Tasigna (nilotinib) European Summary of Characteristics.
Novartis AG.
www.tasigna.com/en/tasigna-product-information.jsp# .
[11] Glivec (imatinib) prescribing information. Basel, Switzerland:
Novartis International AG; March 2009.

                                # # #

Novartis Media Relations


Central media line : +41 61 324 2200
Eric Althoff                         Megan Humphrey
Novartis Global Media Relations      Novartis Oncology
+41 61 324 7999 (direct)             +1 862 778 6724  (direct)
+41 79 593 4202 (mobile)             megan.humphrey@novartis.com
eric.althoff@novartis.com


e-mail: media.relations@novartis.com
Novartis Investor Relations


Central phone:  +41 61 324 7944
Ruth            +41 61 324 9980       North America:
Metzler-Arnold
Pierre-Michel   +41 61 324 1065       Richard Jarvis     +1 212 830
Bringer                                                  2433
John Gilardi    +41 61 324 3018       Jill Pozarek       +1 212 830
                                                         2445
Thomas          +41 61 324            Edwin Valeriano    +1 212 830
Hungerbuehler   8425                                     2456
Isabella Zinck  +41 61 324 7188

e-mail:                               e-mail:
investor.relations@novartis.com       investor.relations@novartis.com

hugin.info/134323/R/1358558/330830.pdf


 
--- End of Message ---

Novartis International AG
Postfach Basel 

WKN: 904278; ISIN: 
CH0012005267; Index: SLCI, SMI, SPI, SLIFE;
Listed: Main Market in SIX Swiss Exchange, ZLS in BX Berne eXchange;


Disclaimer: © 2010 Hugin. The press releases or report contained herein is protected by copyright and other applicable laws, treaties and conventions. Information contained in the releases is furnished by Hugin's, who warrant that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. All reproduction, other than for an individual user's personal reference, is prohibited without prior written permission.
Terms & Conditions | Privacy | About us | Contact PR-inside.com