Tasigna 'Discontinued'

Novartis is stopping the development of its drug Tasigna — which was being developed as an initial therapy for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors — because it's unlikely that the drug will help patients live longer than those on the current standard of care, Gleevec, report The Wall Street Journal's Anita Greil. An independent data-monitoring committee recommended the discontinuation after comparing Tasigna and Gleevec in a late-stage study, the company said. Novartis had hoped to be able to replace Gleevec with Tasigna when Gleevec goes off-patent in a few years, Greil adds.