Nilotinib Versus Standard Imatinib (400/600 mg Every Day (QD)) Comparing the Kinetics of Complete Molecular Response for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia in Chronic Phase (CML-CP) Pts With Evidence of Persistent Leukemia by Real-time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RQ-PCR)

The rate of confirmed best cumulative CMR was defined as the number of participants who had confirmed CMR during the first 12 months of treatment after the randomization date. Participants who achieved confirmed best cumulative CMR during the first 12 months were considered responders. Participants who dropped out early or who did not provide sufficient data for any reason were considered to be non-responders. The definition of CMR is undetectable BCR-ABL (fusion gene formed between bcr gene from chromosome 22 and abl gene from chromosome 9) where BCR-ABL ratio in % international scale (IS) ≤ 0.00001 by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) where there was no detectable BCR-ABL and 1) the test had a sensitivity of at least 4.5 logs below the standardized baseline; 2) RQ-PCR negativity was confirmed on the next RQ-PCR sample (usually 3 months later); and 3) the date of confirmed CMR was the date of the first of two negative results with sensitivity >4.5 logs.

The rate of confirmed best cumulative CMR was defined as the number of participants who had confirmed CMR during the 24, 36 and 48 months post treatment after the randomization date. Participants who achieved confirmed best cumulative CMR during the first 12 months were considered responders. Participants who dropped out early or who did not provide sufficient data for any reason were considered to be non-responders. The definition of CMR is undetectable BCR-ABL (fusion gene formed between bcr gene from chromosome 22 and abl gene from chromosome 9) where BCR-ABL ratio in % international scale (IS) ≤ 0.00001 by RQ-PCR where there was no detectable BCR-ABL and 1) the test had a sensitivity of at least 4.5 logs below the standardized baseline; 2) RQ-PCR negativity was confirmed on the next RQ-PCR sample (usually 3 months later); and 3) the date of confirmed CMR was the date of the first of two negative results with sensitivity >4.5 logs.

The definition of CMR is undetectable BCR-ABL (fusion gene formed between bcr gene from chromosome 22 and abl gene from chromosome 9) where BCR-ABL ratio in % international scale (IS) ≤ 0.00001 by RQ-PCR where there was no detectable BCR-ABL and 1) the test had a sensitivity of at least 4.5 logs below the standardized baseline; 2) RQ-PCR negativity was confirmed on the next RQ-PCR sample (usually 3 months later); and 3) the date of confirmed CMR was the date of the first of two negative results with sensitivity >4.5 logs.

PFS was defined as the time from the date of randomization to the date of the earliest documented progression-defining event as follows: transformation to blast crisis or accelerated phase disease, or death from any cause.

Event-free survival was defined as the time from the date of randomization to the date of first occurrence of any of the following events on study treatment: loss of complete hematological response, confirmed loss of complete cytogenetic response (CCyR), confirmed loss of major molecular response (MMR), death from any cause during treatment, progression to the accelerated phase or blast crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) per European Leukemia Network (ELN) criteria, whichever was earliest.

Overall survival was defined as the time from the date of randomization to the date of death due to any cause at any time during the study, including the follow-up period after discontinuation of treatment.