Sounds like they want to establish tasigna as the superior drug to effect "cures", and thereby justify it's existence, even after Pona's superiority on speed to major cytogenic response and MMR are established(which they obviously anticipate).
As a result, unless Ariad runs their own trial verifying Pona's efficacy with this approach, Novartis should be able to retain a greater portion of the first line market because their drug presumably holds out the only proven potential for such "cures".
Therefore, it would seem, on first blush, that Ariad would have to run such trials itself, unless some other body chooses to, or risk some loss of it's potential first line on this basis.
However, the other issue that might factor in, is that if the potential for "cure" is firmly established to be related to biomarkers, then such trials may not be required because Pona would, in all likelihood, meet all relevant biomarker requirements.
Facinating Corporate strategy, either way!
