Novartis Secures EU Approval for Tasigna Treatment in Children

Novartis AG (NOVN.EB) said Monday that its drug Tasigna secured European Union approval for first and second-line treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase, or Ph+ CML-CP, in children.

It means Tasigna is the only second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor currently approved in the EU for this treatment in children, Novartis said. The approval follows a positive opinion issued on Sep. 14 by the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, or CML, is responsible for approximately 10% to 15% of all adult cases of Leukemia, with an incidence of one to two cases per 100,000 a year, Novartis said. Almost all patients with CML have an abnormality known as the Philadelphia chromosone it added.

Write to Alberto Delclaux at alberto.delclaux@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 20, 2017 02:18 ET (07:18 GMT)