Exhibit 99.1


                         ARIAD Provides Update Regarding
                  AP23573 Phase 3 Trial in Metastatic Sarcoma



   CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2007--ARIAD
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARIA) today announced that the Company
has received feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
regarding its Special Protocol Assessment on the design and endpoints
for its Phase 3 pivotal trial of oral AP23573, its novel mTOR
inhibitor, in metastatic sarcoma. Based on the FDA's response, the
Company intends to pursue its Phase 3 trial in the same treatment
setting as originally proposed (patients with metastatic sarcoma
following a favorable response to chemotherapy), with overall survival
as the primary endpoint and progression-free survival as a key
secondary endpoint. As a result, the Company anticipates that
initiation of patient enrollment may be delayed from the second to the
third quarter of 2007. The Company expects to provide further details
concerning the registration trial based on receipt of follow-up
Protocol Assistance from the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and
ongoing interactions with the FDA.

   "We are working to ensure that our pivotal trial for AP23573
conforms to the guidance and requirements put forth by both the U.S.
and European regulatory agencies and will initiate patient enrollment
as soon as possible," said Harvey J. Berger, M.D., chairman and chief
executive officer of ARIAD.

   About ARIAD

   ARIAD is engaged in the discovery and development of breakthrough
medicines to treat cancer by regulating cell signaling with small
molecules. The Company is developing a comprehensive approach to
patients with cancer that addresses the greatest medical need -
aggressive and advanced-stage cancers for which current treatments are
inadequate. Medinol Ltd. also is developing stents and other medical
devices that deliver ARIAD's lead cancer product candidate to prevent
reblockage at sites of vascular injury following stent-assisted
angioplasty. ARIAD has an exclusive license to pioneering technology
and patents related to certain NF-(kappa)B treatment methods, and the
discovery and development of drugs to regulate NF-(kappa)B
cell-signaling activity, which may be useful in treating certain
diseases. Additional information about ARIAD can be found on the web
at http://www.ariad.com.

   Some of the matters discussed herein are "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are identified by the use of words
such as "may", "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
expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcome of events, timing
and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied
by such forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not
limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the design, endpoints
and timing of our Phase 3 clinical trial of AP23573, risks and
uncertainties regarding our ability to accurately estimate the timing
and actual R&D expenses and other costs associated with the
preclinical and clinical development and manufacture of our product
candidates, the adequacy of our capital resources and the availability
of additional funding, risks and uncertainties regarding our ability
to manufacture or have manufactured our product candidates on a
commercial scale, risks and uncertainties regarding our ability to
successfully recruit centers, enroll patients and conduct clinical
studies of product candidates, risks and uncertainties that clinical
trial results at any phase of development may be adverse or may not be
predictive of future results or lead to regulatory approval of any of
our or any partner's product candidates, risks and uncertainties of
third-party intellectual property claims relating to our and any
partner's product candidates, risks and uncertainties related to the
potential acquisition of or other strategic transaction regarding the
minority stockholders' interests in our 80%-owned subsidiary, ARIAD
Gene Therapeutics, Inc., and risks and uncertainties relating to
regulatory oversight, the timing, scope, cost and outcome of legal and
patent office proceedings concerning our NF-(kappa)B patent portfolio,
future capital needs, key employees, dependence on collaborators and
manufacturers, markets, economic conditions, products, services,
prices, reimbursement rates, competition and other factors detailed in
the Company's public filings 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.
             Investors
             Ed Fitzgerald, 617-621-2345
             or
             Pure Communications
             Media
             Andrea Johnston, 910-681-1088