Vertex Presents Data Demonstrating Benefits of Long-Term Treatment With CFTR Modulators at the European Cystic Fibrosis Conference
June 9, 2023 – Biotechnology –
LONDON – Friday, June 9, 2023, at 17:00 CET – Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that 12 scientific abstracts on the companyís portfolio of cystic fibrosis (CF) medicines were presented at this yearís European Cystic Fibrosis Society’s (ECFS) 46th European Cystic Fibrosis Conference held June 7-10, 2023, in Vienna, Austria. Together, the data presented show the long-term benefits of treatment with CFTR modulators as well as the importance of treating the underlying cause of CF as early in life as possible. Key data presented at this yearís conference are highlighted below.
Vertex presented an interim analysis (IA) of a registry-based study of real-world data collected from people with CF and treated with KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in combination with ivacaftor, including over 16,000 people with CF from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry (CFFPR) and nearly 3,000 from the German CF Registry. This ongoing five-year post-authorization study (abstract WS16.03) is the largest real-world study of people with CF treated with KAFTRIO plus ivacaftor to date. The IA showed clinically significant disease-modifying benefits for KAFTRIO plus ivacaftor, including improved lung function and a 79% reduction of pulmonary exacerbations in the U.S. and 83% in Germany overall compared to pre-KAFTRIO plus ivacaftor baseline. The rate of death was 72% lower in the U.S. and 82% lower in Germany, the rate of lung transplant was 85% lower in the U.S. and 100% lower in Germany, compared to 2019 (pre-KAFTRIO plus ivacaftor) U.S. CFFPR and German CF Registry populations. No new safety concerns were identified.
Vertex also presented final results of the nearly four-year KAFTRIO in combination with ivacaftor open-label follow-up study of the Phase 3 pivotal trials in people with CF ages 12 years and older with at least one F508del mutation in the CFTR gene (Late Breaking Science; Workshop 15). The results of this study are unprecedented for CFTR modulators, showing for the first time that treatment with KAFTRIO plus ivacaftor resulted in sustained improvement in lung function over a four-year period.
‘CFTR modulators markedly improve clinical outcomes of people living with CF as demonstrated in the large and growing quantity of data presented at ECFS this year,’ said Professor Isabelle Fajac, Professor of Physiology, Cochin Hospital, Assistance Publique-HÙpitaux de Paris, UniversitÈ Paris CitÈ, Paris, France.
Additional Presentations
Other Vertex presentations at the conference this year include:
ï Abstract EPS6.05 entitled ‘A Phase 3b study of the effects of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) on cough and physical activity in people with cystic fibrosis (CF)’
ï Abstract WS05.04 entitled ‘Safety and efficacy of ivacaftor (IVA) in children aged 1 to <4 months with cystic fibrosis assessed with an innovative clinical trial design'
ï Late Breaking Science (Workshop 15) abstract entitled ‘LONGITUDE: An observational study of the long-term effectiveness of ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor in people with cystic fibrosis using data from the United Kingdom Cystic Fibrosis Registry’
ï Abstract WS16.02 entitled ‘Real-world (RW) clinical effectiveness of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) in children with cystic fibrosis aged 6-11 years: interim results from the HELIO study’
ï Abstract P117 entitled ‘A longitudinal study on the impact of ELX/TEZ/IVA treatment on quality of life in people with cystic fibrosis in the real world’
ï Abstract P118 entitled ‘Real-world impact of ELX/TEZ/IVA on quality of life of children with CF aged 6-11 years and primary caregivers in the UK: MAGNIFY, a prospective, observational, noninterventional study’
ï Abstract WS05.03 entitled ‘A Phase 3b study of the effects of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) on glucose tolerance in people with cystic fibrosis (CF) and abnormal glucose metabolism’
ï Abstract WS16.04 entitled ‘Benefits of lumacaftor/ivacaftor (LUM/IVA) initiation in children with CF aged 2 through 5 years: Interim results from an ongoing registry-based study’ ï Abstract WS16.05 entitled ‘Long-Term Impact of Ivacaftor (IVA) in People with Cystic Fibrosis in Ireland’
ï Late Breaking Science (Workshop 15) abstract entitled ‘Effects of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) treatment on markers of inflammation in people with cystic fibrosis (CF)’
About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare, life-shortening genetic disease affecting more than 88,000 people globally. CF is a progressive, multi-organ disease that affects the lungs, liver, pancreas, GI tract, sinuses, sweat glands and reproductive tract. CF is caused by a defective and/or missing CFTR protein resulting from certain mutations in the CFTR gene. Children must inherit two defective CFTR genes ó one from each parent ó to have CF, and these mutations can be identified by a genetic test. While there are many different types of CFTR mutations that can cause the disease, the vast majority of people with CF have at least one F508del mutation. CFTR mutations lead to CF by causing CFTR protein to be defective or by leading to a shortage or absence of CFTR protein at the cell surface. The defective function and/or absence of CFTR protein results in poor flow of salt and water into and out of the cells in a number of organs. In the lungs, this leads to the buildup of abnormally thick, sticky mucus, chronic lung infections and progressive lung damage that eventually leads to death for many patients. The median age of death is in the early 30s.
About KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in Combination With Ivacaftor
In people with certain types of mutations in the CFTR gene, the CFTR protein is not processed or folded normally within the cell, and this can prevent the CFTR protein from reaching the cell surface and functioning properly. KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in combination with ivacaftor is an oral medicine designed to increase the quantity and function of the CFTR protein at the cell surface. Elexacaftor and tezacaftor work together to increase the amount of mature protein at the cell surface by binding to different sites on the CFTR protein. Ivacaftor, which is known as a CFTR potentiator, is designed to facilitate the ability of CFTR proteins to transport salt and water across the cell membrane. The combined actions of ivacaftor, tezacaftor and elexacaftor help hydrate and clear mucus from the airways.
KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in combination with ivacaftor is approved in the European Union and in Great Britain for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients aged 6 years and older who have at least one copy of the F508del mutation in the CFTR gene.
For complete product information, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics that can be found on www.ema.europa.eu and on
https://products.mhra.gov.uk/.
About Vertex
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has multiple approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) ó a rare, life-threatening genetic disease ó and has several ongoing clinical and research programs in CF. Beyond CF, Vertex has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational small molecule, mRNA, cell and genetic therapies (including gene editing) in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, acute and neuropathic pain, type 1 diabetes and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex’s global headquarters is now located in Boston’s Innovation District and its international headquarters is in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Latin America. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry’s top places to work, including 13 consecutive years on Science magazine’s Top Employers list and one of Fortuneís 100 Best Companies to Work For. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex’s history of innovation, visit www.vrtx.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements made by Professor Isabelle Fajac in this press release, and statements regarding the potential benefits, safety and efficacy of our medicines, and our plans to present data about our medicines at the ECFS European Cystic Fibrosis Conference. While Vertex believes the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, these forward-looking statements represent the company’s beliefs only as of the date of this press release and there are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that data from the company’s development programs may not support registration, approval or further development of its compounds due to safety, efficacy or other reasons, risks related to approval and commercialization of our medicines, and other risks listed under the heading ‘Risk Factors’ in Vertex’s most recent annual report and subsequent quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and available through the company’s website at www.vrtx.com and on the SECís website at www.sec.gov. You should not place undue reliance on these statements or the scientific data presented. Vertex disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available.
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