ARIAD GETS 'ORPHAN DRUG' LABEL IN EUROPE

Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Tuesday that European regulators granted "orphan drug" status to its experimental treatment for soft-tissue and bone cancers, a designation the therapy already has in the United States. The orphan drug label, reserved for new therapies for rare diseases, means Ariad could have 10 years of exclusive selling rights in Europe along with reduced fees and regulatory assistance. In the United States, the label carries seven years of exclusivity.

Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/technology/feeds/ap/2005/11/15/ap2337632.html)