UNITED STATES
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): December 9, 2008

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

0-21696

22-3106987

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

26 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts	02139
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

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

Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

⃞ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

⃞ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

⃞ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

⃞ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

On December 9, 2008 ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. issued a press release announcing results of studies on its investigational, multi-targeted kinase inhibitor – AP24534 – showing complete inhibition of all known mutant variants of the target protein, Bcr-Abl, including the T315I mutant that is resistant to currently marketed therapies for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Investigators from the Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, collaborating with ARIAD scientists, presented the data at the 50^th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. ARIAD scientists also presented at ASH results of a preclinical study showing the antitumor activity of AP24534 in diverse forms of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a hematologic malignancy not based on Bcr-Abl.

A copy of the press release is being filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and this information contained therein is incorporated by reference into this Current Report on Form 8-K.

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 hereunto duly authorized.

		ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Date:	December 12, 2008	By:	/s/ Edward M. Fitzgerald
			Edward M. Fitzgerald
			Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit Number	Description

99.1	Press Release dated December 9, 2008.