Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX:NASDAQ) is an American biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It was one of the first biotechnology companies to use an explicit strategy of rational drug design without chemistry. The company has three research facilities, in Sandiego, California, and in Milton Park and Oxfordshire, England. Vertex was founded in 1989 by Joshua Boger and Kevin J. Kinsella to «transform the way we treat serious diseases. Until 2004, the company focused primarily on viral infections, inflammatory, autoimmune diseases and cancer. In 2009, the company had about 1,800 employees. In 2019, there were about 2,500 employees. Since the end of 2011, Vertex has been ranked among the top 15 best performing companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 . Vertex stock has increased 250% over the same period. In January 2014, Vertex completed its move from Cambridge, Massachusetts to Boston, Massachusetts, and settled into a new $800 million complex. This is located on the waterfront in South Boston. In June 2019, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX:NASDAQ) announced that it will acquire Exonics Therapeutics for $1 billion and partner with CRISPR Therapeutics to advance its development of treatments for Duchenne disease, a so-called muscular dystrophy, and myotonic dystrophy type 1.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated(Nasdaq: VRTX) announced that the European Medicines Agency (CHMP) (Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use ) has adopted a positive opinion on the approval of KAFTRIO ® , for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in children aged 2 to 5 years. The first of these medicines, KALYDECO ® (ivacaftor), was approved in 2012. A new drug, KAFTRIO ®, is currently approved for children aged 1 month and older.
Vertex researchers have also won a breakthrough prize for life science, among others. Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Global Research David Altshuler, M.D., Ph.D. said «The research teams led by Paul, Fred and Sabine have discovered the first and only drug that addresses the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis. This remarkable effort required the discovery of three new mechanisms of action, leading to the first disease-modifying therapies that work by restoring the function of a misfolded protein.» «This award recognizes both the dedication and creativity of thousands of researchers, as well as the development, access to patients, and tireless staff who have worked to bring medicines to people with CF around the world.»
The company also recently reported financial results for the second quarter of 2023
The second quarter of 2023 marked another period of significant progress for the business. Cystic fibrosis drugs are reaching more and more patients around the world than ever before. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX:NASDAQ) is also moving other programs with clinical trials into the final phase, making rapid progress in the development of additional drugs.
Tržby společnosti Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX:NASDAQ) v porovnání se stejným čtvrtletím předchozího roku vzrostly o 14% na 2,49 miliardy USD. Společnost také zvýšila náklady na výzkum a vývoj z 877 milionu USD na 1,2 miliardy USD. Čistý zisk se meziročně zvýšil o 13% na především díky silnému růstu výnosů.
