Brigatinib Approval Validates Ariad Buy, But Can Takeda Carve A Position?

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has said that brigatinib was a key value driver behind its $5.2bn acquisition of US oncology specialist Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc., and the accelerated US FDA approval of the ALK inhibitor as Alunbrig last week for second-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) appears to provide some early validation of this view.

Following the purchase of Ariad, completed only in February, the Japanese company foresees eventual peak annual sales of more than $1bn for the once-daily oral drug, adding to the revenues already coming in from Ariad's only