New clinical data shows innovative treatment removes iron from heart

Notes and media contacts

About Exjade
Approved in November 2005 in the United States and Switzerland, Exjade is the first and only once-daily oral iron chelator and is administered as a drink. To date, deferoxamine is the standard of care for the first-line treatment of transfusional iron overload in most countries around the world. Administration of deferoxamine often requires a subcutaneous infusion, lasting eight to 12 hours per night for five to seven nights a week for as long as the patient continues to receive blood transfusions or has excess iron within the body. Depending on the disease, patients may require hundreds of these infusions each year. As a result, many patients may have stopped or avoided iron chelation therapy, thus risking the toxic effects of iron overload.

Mild, non-progressive increases in serum creatinine, mostly within the normal range, occur in about one-third of Exjade treated patients. These are dose-dependent, often resolve spontaneously and can sometimes be alleviated by reducing the dose. Serum creatinine should be assessed before initiating therapy and should be monitored monthly thereafter to determine if dose modification or discontinuation is necessary. Liver function should be monitored monthly and if there is an unexplained, persistent, or progressive increase in serum transaminase levels Exjade should be interrupted or discontinued.

About Novartis
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. Our primary goal is to develop and market new and more effective ways to treat patients - in essence, to bring our vision of research to life. In 2004, the Group invested approximately USD 4.2 billion in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 83,700 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world.