Dallas, Texas 02/27/2014 (FINANCIALSTRENDS) – Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(NASDAQ:ARIA) is a Cambridge-based pharmaceutical company. It’s main line of products are directed at prevention and cure of cancer. The company has for a long time now been involved in developing as well as discovering a range of therapies, besides commercializing them for easy access to people suffering from this fatal disease.
The line of principle Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(NASDAQ:ARIA) has adopted to deliver its leading products such as Iclusig is treating adult chronic myeloid leukemia. The key with this drug is that it can resist the spread of tyrosine kinase inhibitor or TKI. This is also known as Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The drug as of January 11, 2013 has begun clinical trials to prevent the spread of this cancer.
Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(NASDAQ:ARIA) has also been studying AP26113, which is a molecular based medicine, expecting to treat lung cancer.
Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(NASDAQ:ARIA) has also announced that it will put iclusig back on the market, following a brief period of pull-back. According to the company, over 650 patients of leukemia were using the drug when it was pulled off the market. However, during the period of pull-off the drug was offered free of cost. With the drug back in market use again, about 180 patients have withdrawn from the program. Additional 50 more patients are expected to withdraw from the program as well. This means the company will now extend its drug program. The drug also currently suffers from the safety issue as well. Nearly all of the patients are using this drug as the last resort as their response to other drugs has failed.
Other drugs which are competitors in this niche are- Novartis developed Gleevec and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Sprycel.
In terms of patients, now Iclusig will be used on patients who have stopped responding to competitor drugs, thus minimizing the opportunity of use for this drug.