What is Glivec®?

Glivec® is a medicine discovered and developed by Novartis for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and c-kit (CD117) positive unresectable (inoperable) and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST). Glivec® is one of the first cancer drugs that validate rational drug design, based on an understanding of how some cancer cells function.

Glivec® is approved in over 80 countries for the treatment of adult patients with Ph+ CML in blast crisis, accelerated phase, or in chronic phase. Glivec® is also approved for the treatment of newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in the EU, U.S. and Japan and a number of other markets. Marketing approval in the EU, Switzerland and other countries includes the treatment of pediatric patients.

In 2002, Glivec® was also approved for treatment of patients with c-kit (CD 117) positive unresectable (inoperable) and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) in the EU, U.S. and more than 45 other countries.

For more information about Glivec®, please visit the Glivec® international Site at www.glivec.com.