CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — ARIAD Pharmaceuticals Inc. has announced the appointment of Raymond T. Keane to the newly created position of vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer.

Keane, who most recently was senior counsel, worldwide medicines at Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), will lead the company’s corporate legal function and be responsible for expanding and overseeing ARIAD’s commercial compliance programs. He will also assume responsibility for the company’s legal activities relating to the commercialization of its growing pipeline of oncology product candidates.

Keane brings almost 25 years of legal experience to ARIAD, the past 20 of which he spent in roles of increasing responsibility at BMS. Most recently, he served as chief counsel for all global brands, with a focus on the market development of emerging pipeline compounds, especially in the field of oncology. During his tenure at BMS, he was lead counsel to various therapeutic divisions and had primary legal responsibility for the commercialization and launch of seven BMS products.

Keane received his J.D. degree from Fordham University School of Law and his B.A. in Economics from Fordham University, College of Arts and Sciences.

ARIAD is engaged in the discovery and development of breakthrough medicines to treat cancer by regulating cell signaling with small molecules. More information about ARIAD can be found at http://www.ariad.com.