Determining the Maximum Tolerated Dose of Low Dose Interferon-alpha in Conjunction With Nilotinib in Pretreated Philadelphia Chromosome Positive (Ph+) Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients in Chronic Phase (CML-CP)

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) at screening * Initial diagnosis of CML cytogenetically confirmed by the presence of the Ph+ metaphases from the bone marrow * Patients who have been treated with nilotinib for a minimum of 6 months (1 month represents 28 days) after switch from previous CML treatments * Patients who have been treated with stable dosing of 2x400mg nilotinib within the last month before start of study treatment * No grade 3-4 CTC toxicities on nilotinib alone in the last month preceding the start of the study regimen Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who are considered Ph- because they do not have a confirmed cytogenetic diagnosis of the t(9;22) translocation in their bone marrow metaphases * Evidence of a point mutation within the BCR-ABL gene leading to a clinically relevant amino acid exchange in the kinase domain at position T315 (gatekeeper mutation T315I) * Impaired cardiac function * Severe or uncontrolled medical conditions (i.e. uncontrolled diabetes, active or uncontrolled infection). Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply