Vertex's (VRTX) 3rd Study On Pain Drug Meets Primary Endpoint

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) announced positive results from a phase II study evaluating its NaV1.8 inhibitor VX-150 in patients suffering from pain caused by small fiber neuropathy.

The study met its primary endpoint, and showed that treatment with VX-150 led to statistically significant and clinically meaningful pain reduction in the above mentioned patients. VX-150 was well tolerated in this study.

Other than pain caused by small fiber neuropathy, VX-150 was evaluated in phase II studies for the treatment of acute pain following bunionectomy surgery and pain from osteoarthritis of the knee.

The company now has positive phase II data for VX-150 in all of the three pain conditions, which demonstrate the potential role of NaV1.8 inhibitor in the future treatment of a variety of pain conditions.

Vertex also announced today that the FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to VX-150 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain.

The company also recently initiated a phase IIb dose-ranging study, evaluating VX-150 in patients with acute pain following bunionectomy surgery. The study is designed to evaluate multiple oral doses of VX-150 to potentially support pivotal development. The company also expects to advance additional NaV1.8 inhibitors into clinical development beginning 2019.

Shares of Vertex have increased 9.1%, against the industry’s decline of 21.4% year to date.

While Vertex’s main focus is on the development and strengthening of its cystic fibrosis (CF) franchise, the company is also working on other serious diseases like pain, and hemoglobinopathies like sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Apart from the key non-CF pipeline candidate VX-150, Vertex is also co-developing a gene editing treatment, CTX001 in partnership with CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP) in two devastating diseases — sickle cell disease and thalassemia.

Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

Vertex currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks worth considering are Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) and Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) . Both the companies sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Alexion’s earnings per share estimates have increased from $7.23 to $7.61 for 2018 and from 8.59 to $8.77 for 2019 over the past 60 days. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in all the trailing four quarters, with average of 16.77%.

Gilead’s earnings per share estimates have increased from $6.65 to $6.93 for 2018 and $6.64 to $6.83 for 2019 over the past 60 days. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in three of the trailing four quarters, with average of 6.99%.

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