8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                 Date of Report
                 (Date of earliest event reported): July 7, 2003

                           ARIAD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


          Delaware                   0-21696                   22-3106987
(State or Other Jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
     of Incorporation)                                     Identification No.)


                              26 LANDSDOWNE STREET
                         CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139
              (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)


               Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                 (617) 494-0400







ITEM 5.    OTHER EVENTS

           On July 7, 2003, the Registrant disseminated a Press Release
           announcing the results of pre-clinical studies demonstrating the
           potency and activity of AP23464, its product candidate to treat
           life-threatening forms of blood cancer.

           The information contained in the Press Release dated July 7, 2003, is
           incorporated herein by reference and attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

ITEM 7.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.


           (c)    Exhibits.

                  99.1     The Registrant's Press Release dated July 7, 2003.



                                   Signatures

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                          ARIAD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.


                                          By:    /s/ Edward M. Fitzgerald
                                                 ------------------------
                                                 Edward M. Fitzgerald
                                                 Senior Vice President and
                                                 Chief Financial Officer


Date:    July 7, 2003








                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------

Exhibit
Number            Description                         Sequential Page Number
- -------           -----------                       ---------------------------

99.1              The Registrant's Press                       4
                  Release dated July 7, 2003.

EX-99

                                                                Exhibit 99.1

             ARIAD Reports Studies Profiling Potency and
    Activity of Its Molecularly Targeted Product for Blood Cancer


   CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 7, 2003--

Highlighted at UK Cancer Research International Conference

   ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARIA) today announced, for
the first time, results of pre-clinical studies demonstrating the
potency and activity of AP23464, its product candidate to treat
life-threatening forms of blood cancer: AP23464 is over 10-fold more
potent than imatinib (Gleevec(TM)), the leading product for chronic
myeloid leukemia (CML), in blocking the activity of the key
cancer-causing protein responsible for Gleevec's efficacy.
   Furthermore, unlike Gleevec, AP23464 is designed to block
additional leukemia therapeutic targets that become increasingly
important in patients who no longer respond to Gleevec - an outcome
that occurs in approximately 75% of advanced-stage CML patients
treated with Gleevec for two years. In spite of these limitations,
sales of Gleevec are estimated to reach approximately $1 billion in
2003.
   Based on its targeting of oncogenic proteins, AP23464 may provide
a compelling alternative to Gleevec - both for Gleevec-resistant
patients and as primary therapy for certain forms of leukemia.
   "The success of Gleevec, described as a 'magic cancer bullet,'
highlights the importance of selecting the right therapeutic targets
for new cancer therapies. We are focused on development of our
molecularly targeted drug for blood cancer to be ARIAD's next product
candidate to enter clinical trials," said Harvey J. Berger, M.D.,
chairman and chief executive officer of ARIAD.
   The malignant transformation in bone marrow cells that leads to
certain forms of leukemia is dependent on the activity the Abl
protein. Dr. David Baltimore's research group discovered the
cancer-causing properties of the Abl protein in the mid-1980's. Dr.
Baltimore is one of ARIAD's founding scientific advisors. Recent
clinical studies have found that genetic variants of Abl develop
during Gleevec treatment. While Gleevec does not affect these variant
proteins or the Src protein, an important cell-signaling partner of
Abl, AP23464 is designed to block these proteins.
   The papers by Brunton, V., et al, "Src tyrosine kinase-dependent
adhesion changes in a model of colon cancer metastasis," and Sawyer,
T., et al, "Novel, picomolar potent, dual inhibitors of Src and Abl
kinase: Drug development for cancer metastasis and leukemia therapy,"
are being presented this week at the UK Cancer Research International
Cancer Conference (ICC). More information about the program is
available at the ICC web site (http://www.beatson.gla.ac.uk/conf/).
   The history of the development of Gleevec is described by Daniel
Vasella, the chief executive of Novartis, in his recently published
book, Magic Cancer Bullet - How a Tiny Orange Pill Is Rewriting
Medical History, New York, HarperCollins Publishers, 2003.
   ARIAD is engaged in the discovery and development of breakthrough
medicines that regulate cell signaling with small molecules. The
Company is developing a comprehensive approach to the treatment of
cancer and is primarily focused on a series of product candidates for
targeted oncology indications. ARIAD also has an exclusive license to
pioneering technology and patents related to the discovery,
development and use of drugs that regulate NF-(kappa)B cell-signaling
activity, which has been implicated in many major diseases.
   Additional information about ARIAD can be found on the web at
http://www.ariad.com.

   Gleevec(TM) is a trademark of Novartis AG.

   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 "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 current
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 Company's ability to
conduct preclinical and clinical studies of its product candidates and
the results of such studies, regulatory oversight, intellectual
property claims, the timing, scope, cost and outcome of legal
proceedings, future capital needs, key employees, dependence on the
Company's collaborators and manufacturers, markets, economic
conditions, products, services, prices, reimbursement rates,
competition and other risks detailed in the Company's public filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including ARIAD's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002. 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
             Tom Pearson, 610/407-9260
             Kathy Lawton, 617/621-2345