Novartis trial shows drug improves survival for AML patients

ZURICH Novartis’ phase III study for its acute myeloid leukemia (AML) drug showed it improved overall survival by 23 percent for patients with FLT3 mutations, the Swiss drugmaker said on Sunday.

Basel-based Novartis said the study was the first large controlled trial to show overall survival benefit in FLT3-mutated AML, and that worldwide regulatory submissions for midostaurin would begin in 2016.

(Reporting by Joshua Franklin– Editing by Kevin Liffey)