Phase I Nilotinib in Children with Philadelphia Chromosome-positive (Ph+) CML or ALL

Inclusion Criteria:

* Must have one of the following: newly diagnosed CP Ph+CML, CP or AP resistant/ intolerant to imatinib and/or dasatinib, or Ph+ ALL either relapsed after or refractory to standard therapy
* adequate renal, hepatic and pancreatic function

Exclusion Criteria:

* patients receiving therapy with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors and/or inducers and treatments cannot be stopped or changed to a different medication at least 14 days prior to starting study drug
* patients receiving therapy with any medications with a known risk or possible risk to prolong the QT interval and the treatment cannot be either discontinued or switched to a different medication prior to starting study drug.
* gastrointestinal impairment or disease that may interfere with drug absorption
* liver, pancreatic or severe renal disease unrelated to disease under study
* impaired cardiac function
* patients who received dasatinib within 3 days of starting study drug
* patients who received imatinib within 5 days of starting study drug
* patients receiving hydroxyurea or corticosteroids that has not been discontinued at least 1 week after initiation of nilotinib
* patients who received hematopoietic growth factors within 7 days of starting study drug or Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta®) within 14 days of starting study drug
* patients with Stem Cell Transplant (SCT) or Rescue without TBI: Evidence of active graft vs. host disease and \< 3 months since SCT

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply