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Vertex Pharmaceuticals to Focus 2006 Clinical Development on Therapies for Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Inflammation and Cystic Fibrosis
Vertex Pharmaceuticals to Focus 2006 Clinical Development on Therapies for Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Inflammation and Cystic Fibrosis.
About this update from Vortex Energy Corp.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\n\nCAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 4 /CNW/ -- Vertex Pharmaceuticals\nIncorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) announced today that it will concentrate its\ndevelopment investment in 2006 on Phase II clinical development of its drug\ncandidates VX-950 for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and VX-702 for\nrheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, the Company expects to bring forward\ninto clinical development in 2006 an investigational drug candidate for cystic\nfibrosis (CF). Vertex's updated focus on accelerating the clinical\ndevelopment of these three proprietary product candidates is based on an\nanalysis of commercial opportunity and available clinical data across all of\nthe Company's portfolio of programs. The Company expects to minimize its own\nfuture development investment in both merimepodib (MMPD), an oral compound\ndesigned to enhance the antiviral efficacy of interferon-based combination\ntherapy for HCV, and VX-765, an interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE)\ninhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis. In addition to three areas where\nVertex will focus its development investment, Vertex will continue to\ncollaborate with other companies to develop small molecule drugs for cancer\nand HIV.\n\"Focusing our development portfolio in 2006 on VX-950 and VX-702 supports\nour commitment to the rapid clinical advancement of these compounds, which\nhave the potential to be exciting new treatment options for HCV and\ninflammation,\" said Joshua Boger, Ph.D, Chairman, President and Chief\nExecutive Officer of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. \"We believe that based on a\nrigorous analysis of available clinical data across all of our programs, and\nan appreciation of the commercial opportunity in our areas of concentration,\nthe decision to focus our portfolio will drive clinical and commercial value\nfor Vertex and its shareholders in the coming years.\n\"In addition to the compounds that we seek to develop independently, we\nare working with collaborators to develop innovative therapies in the areas of\ncancer and HIV, and this will continue to be an important component of our\nbusiness model going forward,\" added Dr. Boger.\n\n Vertex's Clinical Pipeline\n VX-950:\n VX-950 is an investigational oral HCV protease inhibitor and is one\n of the most advanced in a new class of medicines for the treatment\n of chronic HCV infection. In a 14-day, Phase...