ARIAD Announces That Merck Has Submitted for Approval of Ridaforolimus, an Investigational mTOR Inhibitor, in the EU

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ARIA today announced that its ridaforolimus partner, Merck MRK, has submitted a marketing authorization application for ridaforolimus with the European Medicines Agency. The submission occurred on July 29, 2011 and marks the start of Merck's global submission strategy for ridaforolimus that includes Europe, the U.S., Canada, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and other key markets around the world. ARIAD expects Merck to submit a new drug application in the U.S. shortly. If approved, ARIAD believes that oral ridaforolimus, an investigational mTOR inhibitor, would be the first molecularly targeted drug for the treatment of patients with metastatic sarcomas and the first sarcoma drug to be approved for use in the maintenance setting.