[3][5] Nilotinib has a number of adverse effects including headache, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation, muscle and joint pain, rash and other skin conditions, flu-like symptoms, and reduced blood cell count.

[11] Though lung-related adverse effects are rare when compared with imatinib and dasatinib, there is a case report of acute respiratory failure from diffuse alveolar hemorrhage in a people taking nilotinib.

[14] There is weak evidence that nilotinib may be beneficial with Parkinson's disease (PD), with a small clinical trial suggesting it might halt progression and improve symptoms.

[29] However, there were significant side effects including infection, liver function tests abnormalities, hallucinations and heart attack, and the benefit in PD disappeared at follow up after drug discontinuation, raising question as to whether it was truly a disease modifying therapy.

[30] Scientists and medical professionals have advised caution with over-optimistic interpretation of its effects in Parkinson's due to the significant media hype surrounding the small and early clinical trial.

[33] Novartis announced in April 2011, that it was discontinuing a phase III trial of nilotinib as the first-line treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) based on the recommendation of an independent data monitoring committee.

Interim results showed Tasigna is unlikely to demonstrate superiority compared to Novartis's Gleevec (imatinib)*, the current standard of care in this setting.