Efficacy and Safety of Deferasirox in Combination With Deferoxamine Followed by Deferasirox Monotherapy in Severe Cardiac Iron Overload

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with β-thalassemia major or Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) or congenital sideroblastic anemia on chronic transfusion therapy * Myocardial T2\* value that is ≥ 5 and \< 10 ms * Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 56% as determined by Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) * Liver Iron Concentration (LIC) ≥ 7 mg Fe /g dw as determined by R2 MRI. * Lifetime history of at least 50 units of red blood cell transfusions, and must be receiving at least ≥ 8 units/yr of red blood cell transfusions * Serum ferritin ≥ 1000 ng/mL Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with clinical symptoms of cardiac dysfunction (shortness of breath at rest or exertion, orthopnea, exercise intolerance, lower extremity edema, arrhythmias) * Patients unable to undergo study assessments including MRI * Patients with serum creatinine greater than Upper limit of normal ULN)range or with significant proteinuria as indicated by a urinary protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) ≥1.0 mg/mg in a non-first void urine sample at baseline. Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply