- Health Canada has approved Vertex Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ:VRTX) Orkambi, its cystic fibrosis medication indicated for patients age 12 and older with two copies of the F508del mutation.
- People with two copies of the mutation have the most common genetic form of the disease, and they can be identified with a genetic test, Vertex says. The drug treats the underlying defect in CF, but for a much larger part of the population with the disease.
- Approval was based on data from two Phase 3 studies that enrolled more than 1,100 people in the target group.
- After hours: VRTX -1.1%.