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CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct 29, 2001 (BW HealthWire) -- ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARIA) today announced, for the first time, the discovery of a series of highly potent anti-tumor compounds that selectively inhibit oncogenic protein tyrosine kinases over-expressed and/or hyperactive in common cancers.

The protein tyrosine kinases, c-Src, c-Abl, and Her2/neu, have been implicated convincingly in human cancer and are well validated cell signaling targets for treating cancer. They are known to play important roles in regulating tumor growth and proliferation, apoptosis (cell death), angiogenesis (blood supply), and metastasis (spread to distant sites). ARIAD scientists used structure-based drug design and chemoinformatics to develop highly potent and selective small-molecule inhibitors of these oncogenic protein tyrosine kinases. ARIAD's proprietary compounds were shown to block the growth of breast, prostate, colon, lung, bone and kidney tumors and leukemia.

The data are being presented by Marie Rose van Schravendijk, Ph.D. of ARIAD at the International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics jointly sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research, the National Cancer Institute, and the European Organization for Research to Treat Cancer. The conference begins today in Miami Beach, Florida. The abstract of her presentation (no. 586) is available on the web at www.aacr.org.

"The discoveries being reported today clearly demonstrate the strength of our drug discovery program," said Harvey J. Berger, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer of ARIAD. "Development of these novel inhibitors of oncogenic cell signaling complements our portfolio of four lead oncology and hematology product candidates."

ARIAD is engaged in the discovery and development of breakthrough medicines that regulate cell signaling with small molecules. The Company's lead product candidates - treatments for bone metastases and bone pain, osteoporosis, cancer, anemia and graft-vs-host disease following T cell immunotherapy - all were developed through the integration of genomics, proteomics and structure-based drug design. ARIAD's RegTech cell-signaling regulation technologies are being used by almost 500 academic investigators providing a robust source of potential new technologies, drug targets and product candidates that the Company may develop. ARIAD also has an exclusive license to pioneering technology related to the discovery and development of drugs that modulate the cellular protein, NF-(kappa)B, and its associated pathways, which regulate the transcription of key genes involved in many major diseases. Additional information about ARIAD can be found on the web at www.ariad.com.

Some of the matters discussed herein are forward-looking statements. Such statements are identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, events and performance to differ materially from those referred to or implied in such statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the Company's preclinical studies, the Company's ability to conduct clinical trials of its product candidates and the results of such trials, as well as risks and uncertainties relating to economic conditions, markets, products, competition, intellectual property, services and prices, key employees, future capital needs, dependence on the Company's collaborators and other factors. These risks are identified in ARIAD's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information contained in this document is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. The Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this document to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in the Company's expectations, except as required by law.

CONTACT:          ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 
                  Tom Pearson
                  Corporate Communications
                  (610) 407-9260
                  or
                  Kathy Lawton
                  (617) 494-0400

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