Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc fka ARIA

[BTH]

Plus why do they have a RIDA arm only if they dont think it will be a single agent drug?

This is a two-part study that will determine, if: 1) the combination of ridaforolimus and dalotuzumab will improve progression-free survival compared to exemestane; and 2) the combination of ridaforolimus and dalotuzumab will improve progression-free survival compared to both ridaforolimus and dalotuzumab as single agents, in participants with breast cancer.

Because it's a proof-of-concept study to test Merck's thesis that a combination study is more effective than a single agent dalotuzumab....or....single agent ridaforolimus.

Merck clearly wants to see a combination of Rida + Dalo (more revenues for them), and clearly, clinical evidence (in vivo and ex vivo)suggests that a combination of the two is much more likely to show stable disease over longer duration as well as partial response, than simply Dalo alone, or Rida alone.