Long-term results from ARIAD's ponatinib Phase 1 study on CML and Ph+ ALL

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARIA) today announced long-term results of the Phase 1 study of its investigational pan-BCR-ABL inhibitor, ponatinib, in heavily pretreated patients with resistant and refractory chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL). With the trial fully enrolled and all patients evaluable, 72% of chronic-phase CML patients treated with ponatinib achieved a major cytogenetic response (MCyR), including 92% of patients who also had a T315I mutation. Since the last data update from the trial was presented in December, 2010, all chronic-phase CML patients who achieved a MCyR remain in response with no signs of resistance.

These data were presented at the international Chronic Myeloid Leukemia foundation (iCMLf) conference sponsored by the European Society of Hematology (ESH) at its 13^th Annual Meeting held in Estoril, Portugal on Saturday, September 24, 2011.

"These new data provide further clinical evidence of the striking anti-leukemic activity of ponatinib in a larger number of patients. The response rates to ponatinib continue to improve over time and, importantly, have been shown to be durable in this heavily pretreated patient group that has failed multiple prior therapies for CML," stated Jorge Cortes, M.D., professor and deputy chair, Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "It should also be noted that the response rate is higher in patients who have received fewer prior therapies. This suggests that there is great potential for ponatinib to be explored in patients earlier in the course of their disease."