This study was terminated early as a result of regulatory action suspending tegaserod use in 2007

This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of tegaserod in opioid-induced constipation in patients with non-cancer pain.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male and female outpatients 18 years of age or older.

2. Patients with chronic non-cancer pain that necessitates the use of non-injectable opioid analgesics. The equivalent dose of 300 mg morphine per day is the maximum opioid analgesic dose allowed. In general, patients should be using opioids on a daily basis.

3. Chronic pain which has been present for a minimum of 3 months which needs the chronic use of opioids for pain relief.

4. Constipation, according to the investigator's clinical judgment, that is resulting from opioid use for non-cancer chronic pain. Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is defined as follows:

   • less than 3 spontaneous bowel movements per week and at least one of the following on at least 25% of occasions:

     1. hard or very hard stools
     2. sensation of incomplete evacuation
     3. straining while having a bowel movement

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who are receiving opioids for abdominal pain or connective tissue disorders.
2. Planned discontinuation or an increase or decrease by more than 30% of the current opioid dose
3. Patients who underwent major surgery within 3 months prior to screening.
4. Patients with a history of prior chronic constipation (CC) that was present for more than three months and that was not related to opioid use.
5. Patients with a current diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) constipation predominant or alternators.

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.