Strength and Innovation of Novartis Oncology Products and Pipeline With Potential to Improve Patient Treatment Demonstrated by More Than 170 Abstracts at ASCO Annu...( - Unprecedented amount of resea...),Health

- Unprecedented amount of research reflects depth and breadth of collaboration with investigators worldwide to develop new treatments for

diverse forms of cancer

- Plenary session to highlight impact of Zometa(R), the leading IV bisphosphonate, on relapse rate of patients with early-stage breast cancer - Four oral sessions to feature RAD001, first oral once-daily continuous inhibitor of mTOR, including first results of RECORD-1 study in renal cell

carcinoma

- Updated Phase II results with Tasigna(R) in Philadelphia

chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia to be presented

EAST HANOVER, N.J., May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Novartis Oncology announced today that the 44th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will include an unprecedented amount of research drawing from Novartis Oncology's robust pipeline of investigational compounds and existing cancer therapies. Novartis Oncology's cancer therapies will be the subject of more than 170 abstracts at the meeting, and will be highlighted in a plenary session, as well as seven oral presentations.

A plenary session will feature the first efficacy results from the ABCSG-12 study, looking at the impact of Zometa(R) (zoledronic acid) on disease-free survival in patients with early-stage breast cancer (Abstract #LBA4: Sunday, June 1, 2008; 1:45 PM to 2:00 PM CDT). In addition, late-breaking data on the role of RAD001 (everolimus) as a potential new treatment option for patients with advanced kidney cancer who have failed standard therapies will be presented in an oral session (Abstract #LBA5026: Saturday, May 31, 2008; 4:30 PM-4:45 PM CDT).

"This is a particularly exciting year for Novartis Oncology in advancing research and touching the lives of thousands of cancer patients," said David Epstein, CEO & President of Novartis Oncology. "Our scientific presence at ASCO shows that N
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