Novartis to warn US Doctors on heart risk -

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

Here is the answer to your question:

Novartis to warn US doctors on Gleevec heart risks

Tue Oct 3, 2006 4:51am ET 140 <http://i.today.reuters.com/images/spacer.gif>

[- <javascript:sizeDown();> ] Text <javascript:resetCurrentsize();> [+

<javascript:sizeUp();> ]

ZURICH, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis (NOVN.VX: Quote

<http://today.reuters.com/stocks/overview.aspx?symbol=NOVN.VX & WTmodLoc=InvAr

t-C1-ArticlePage1> , Profile

<http://today.reuters.com/stocks/CompanyProfile.aspx?symbol=NOVN.VX & WTmodLoc

=InvArt-C1-ArticlePage1> , Research

<http://today.reuters.com/stocks/ResearchReports.aspx?symbol=NOVN.VX & WTmodLo

c=InvArt-C1-ArticlePage1> ) will send a letter to U.S. doctors in the next

few days to warn that there is a risk that its cancer drug Gleevec could

cause heart damage, a spokesman said.

The letter will contain similar information to one sent to Canadians warning

that patients with high blood pressure, diabetes or a history of heart

disease who were taking the drug should consult their doctor, said Novartis

spokesman Geoff Cook.

" A letter with similar information will be sent to U.S physicians in the

next few days, " Cook said in an email to Reuters.

The warnings were sparked by a recent article in Nature Medicine that said

the drug, sold in Europe under the name Glivec, could cause serious heart

damage.

Novartis has said there would be similar warnings in all countries where the

product was approved.

The authors of the Nature Medicine article said that similar drugs,

including Bristol Myers Squibb's (BMY.N: Quote

<http://today.reuters.com/stocks/overview.aspx?symbol=BMY.N & WTmodLoc=InvArt-

C1-ArticlePage1> , Profile

<http://today.reuters.com/stocks/CompanyProfile.aspx?symbol=BMY.N & WTmodLoc=I

nvArt-C1-ArticlePage1> , Research

<http://today.reuters.com/stocks/ResearchReports.aspx?symbol=BMY.N & WTmodLoc=

InvArt-C1-ArticlePage1> ) Sprycel, may suffer from the same safety problem.

The risk that physicians switch patients to Sprycel may therefore be

limited, said Kepler Equities analyst .

" Thus, we leave our Glivec forecasts unchanged for now. However, the news

increases the risk of a sales growth slow down, " said in a note.

C Reuters 2006. .