Novartis' answer to Gleevec competition is Tasigna data

Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) has responded to the growing competition to its off-patent product Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) by presenting the latest findings on its new drug that it wants patients to start taking as a replacement therapy.

Novartis has presented data from the ENESTop treatment-free remission (TFR) study of Tasigna (nilotinib) demonstrating that TFR rates are consistent among Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who switched from Gleevec due to intolerance, resistance or physician preference.

"There remains a need for continued advancements and these findings are an exciting and important contribution to clinical research in CML treatment"