ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. presented updated data from a pivotal phase II study (ALTA) on its most advanced pipeline candidate brigatinib, in patients with ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had experienced disease progression on Pfizer Inc.’s (PFE Quick QuotePFE - Free Report) Xalkori therapy. Data were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Results from the study showed that among the patients with a median follow-up of 8.3 months, when treated with brigatinib (180 mg), a confirmed objective response (primary endpoint) of 54% was observed. Moreover, the median progression free survival was found to be greater than one year (12.9 months) in the post-Xalkori setting. In addition, patients with measurable brain metastases demonstrated a 67% confirmed intracranial objective response rate.

ARIAD is on track to file a new drug application for brigatinib in the third quarter of 2016. We note that brigatinib has Orphan Drug status in the U.S. for the treatment of ALK+NSCLC. It also enjoys Breakthrough Therapy status in the U.S. for the treatment of patients with ALK+NSCLC that is resistant to Xalkori.

Meanwhile, ARIAD has also initiated the phase III ALTA first-line study comparing the efficacy of brigatinib to Xalkori.

Apart from brigatinib, the only other candidate in the company’s pipeline is AP32788, which is in a phase I/II study for the treatment of patients with NSCLC with specific mutations in EGFR or HER2.

Currently, the only marketed product in ARIAD’s portfolio is Iclusig, which is a leukemia drug.

ARIAD is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. A couple of better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Juniper Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ATNM Quick QuoteATNM - Free Report) carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

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