Ariad drug starts phase 3 trial

Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Cambridge announced today the start of a global Phase 3 clinical trial of a drug to treat patients with metastatic soft-tissue and bone sacromas.

The treatment is oral deforolimus, and the trial is designed to evaluate about 650 patients who will randomized to take either oral deforolimus or a placebo at approximately 125 sites, the company said.

The company said Ariad and New Jersey-based Merck & Co. have a global collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize deforolimus for oncology; under the agreement, Merck will pay Ariad a $13.5 million milestone payment upon dosing the first patient in the Phase 3 trial.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)