Vertex, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics to develop oral drug VX-770

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., March 23 - Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc. (CFFT) have entered into a new collaboration to accelerate clinical development of VX-770, a novel oral drug candidate for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

As part of the agreement, CFFT will pay Vertex $13.3 million in development support through the fourth quarter of 2007, according to a company news release.

Vertex will start clinical development of VX-770 in the second quarter of 2006 and will progress to clinical studies in patients with cystic fibrosis in the second half of the year, the release said.

VX-770 is the first of a new class of oral agents that specifically target a key mechanism underlying cystic fibrosis.

Vertex retains worldwide rights to develop and commercialize VX-770, the release said.

CFFT, the nonprofit drug discovery and development affiliate of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, has headquarters in Bethesda, Md.

Vertex is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Mass.

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