LONDON– Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VRTX) announced that it has reached a broad reimbursement agreement with NHS England for its new cystic fibrosis medication, ALYFTREK® (deutivacaftor/tezacaftor/vanzacaftor), a once-daily triple combination therapy developed for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).
The agreement follows a positive final draft recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), paving the way for immediate access to the drug for all eligible patients across England. ALYFTREK is licensed for use in patients aged six and older with at least one F508del mutation—or another responsive mutation—in the CFTR gene.
“We’re proud that ALYFTREK, our fifth CF medicine, is available today as another treatment option for all eligible CF patients in England,” said Ludovic Fenaux, Senior Vice President of Vertex International. “It represents a significant milestone in our journey to serially innovate and further improve the lives of people living with this disease. In our pivotal studies, ALYFTREK demonstrated the potential for even better outcomes for patients than KAFTRIO.”
Vertex emphasized that the once-daily regimen offers enhanced convenience and has shown promising results in clinical trials compared to the company’s previous CFTR modulator therapies. The company also noted that the agreement with NHS England reflects the health system’s recognition of the therapy’s clinical and societal value.
In addition to the rollout in England, Vertex confirmed that patients in Ireland, Denmark, and Germany will be among the first in the European Union to gain access to the medication following its recent regulatory approval. The company is actively working with reimbursement bodies across the EU to expand access to all eligible patients as quickly as possible.
The deal marks another key milestone in Vertex’s ongoing efforts to broaden the availability of transformative therapies for those living with cystic fibrosis worldwide.
