ARIAD Reports Long-term Safety, Efficacy Data of Ponatinib from Phase 2 Pace Trial: 83% of CP-CML Patients Achieved Response

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARIA) today announced long-term follow upfrom its pivotal Phase 2 trial of Iclusig^® (ponatinib), its approved BCR-ABLinhibitor, in heavily pretreated patients with resistant or intolerant chronicmyeloid leukemia (CML) or Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblasticleukemia (Ph+ ALL). The study now shows that with a median follow-up ofapproximately 3 years for chronic-phase CML (CP-CML) patients in the trial,Iclusig continues to demonstrate anti-leukemic activity in patients withlimited treatment options. Deep and durable responses have been maintained inCP-CML patients with 83 percent of CP-CML patients who achieved a response,estimated to remain in major cytogenetic response (MCyR) at three years.Additionally, the rate of maintenance of response in CP-CML patients was high(greater than 90%) in patients who underwent Iclusig dose reductions.Long-term safety data confirm that careful benefit-risk evaluations shouldguide the decision to use and then maintain Iclusig therapy, particularly inpatients who may be at increased risk for arterial thrombotic events.The data were featured in a poster presentation on Sunday December 7, at the56^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) taking placein San Francisco.PACE Trial UpdateThe efficacy and safety of ponatinib in CML and Ph+ ALL patients resistant orintolerant to dasatinib or nilotinib, or with the T315I mutation, wereevaluated in the pivotal Phase 2 PACE trial. A total of 449 patients weretreated with ponatinib at a starting dose of 45 mg/day Ninety-three percent ofpatients treated in the PACE trial had failed two or more prior tyrosinekinase inhibitors (TKI), and 58 percent had failed three or more prior TKIs.Updated data in CP-CML patients (n=270) from the ongoing trial indicate thatwith a median follow-up of 38.4 months (data as of October 6, 2014), 121patients (45%) continue to receive ponatinib. Additional data in CP-CMLpatients include: * 55% of CP patients met the primary endpoint of MCyR by 12 months. * 83% of patients who responded are estimated to remain in MCyR at 3 years. * 39% of patients achieved a major molecular response (MMR) or better. * By Kaplan-Meier analysis, progression-free survival at 3 years is estimated to be 61%. * Overall survival at 3 years is estimated to be 82%. * 22% of CP patients experienced an arterial thrombotic serious adverse event (SAE), and 27 percent of CP-CML patients experienced any arterial thrombotic event, independent of severity or attribution of relationship to ponatinib. There was no increase in the exposure-adjusted incidence of newly occurring arterial thrombotic events with longer follow-up. * 4% of CP patients experienced a venous thrombotic SAE. * The most common all-grade treatment-emergent adverse events in CP-CML were rash (46%), thrombocytopenia (45%), abdominal pain (45%), headache (43%), constipation (41%) and dry skin (41%); the discontinuation rate for adverse events was 17% in CP-CML.“With a median follow-up of 3 years, there is no question that these are verymeaningful responses in a refractory CML patient population. Responses such asthis in a heavily pretreated patient population are very encouraging,” statedJorge E. Cortes, M.D., Professor and Department Chair, Department of Leukemia,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Careful benefit-riskevaluation should guide the decision to initiate ponatinib therapy,particularly in patients who may be at increased risk for arterial thromboticevents. Ponatinib continues to be a valuable treatment option for patientswith refractory CML and Ph+ ALL for whom the need and potential benefitoutweigh the risk.”Efficacy Update Following Prospective Dose-Reduction Recommendations(Data from October 10, 2013 to October 6, 2014)On October 10, 2013, following a partial clinical hold placed on new patientenrollment in ARIAD-sponsored trials of ponatinib, dose-reductionrecommendations were provided by ARIAD to investigators for patients remainingon the trial. The following dose reductions were recommended, unless thebenefit-risk analysis warranted treatment with a higher dose: * CP-CML patients who already achieved a MCyR should have their dose reduced to 15 mg/day; * CP-CML patients who had not already achieved MCyR should have their dose reduced to 30 mg/day; and, * Advanced-phase patients should have their dose reduced to 30 mg/day.Now, with approximately one year of follow-up after these recommendations, therate of maintenance of response overall in CP-CML is high -- whether or notpatients underwent prospective dose reductions. * Of the 64 patients who were in MCyR at the time of dose reductions, 61 patients (95%) maintained their response at 1 year following dose reduction to either 30 mg or 15 mg. * Of the 47 patients who were in MMR at the time of dose reductions, 44 patients (94%) maintained their response at 1 year following dose reduction to either 30 mg or 15 mg. * 42 patients in MCyR did not undergo any dose reductions (the majority of which were already at a reduced dose of 30 mg or 15 mg as of October 10, 2013); of these, 39 patients (93%) maintained MCyR after 1 more year of ponatinib treatment.Safety Update Following Prospective Dose-Reduction Recommendations (Data fromOctober 10, 2013 to October 6, 2014) * Of the patients who underwent prospective dose reduction, 5 of 70 patients (7%) without prior events had a new arterial thrombotic event during the twelve-month interval following prospective dose reduction. * Of the patients who did not undergo prospective dose reduction, 7 of 67 patients (10%) without prior events had a new arterial thrombotic event in the same time interval.“These data show that the majority of patients in the PACE trial retainedresponse, even when lowering the daily dose of Iclusig,” stated Frank G.Haluska, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president of clinical research anddevelopment and chief medical officer at ARIAD. “The safety and efficacy ofIclusig at starting doses lower than 45 mg will be studied in a randomizedtrial set to begin next year.”