News & Events

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sep 24, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX) today provided a correction to AASLD abstract 1854 published in the October 2008 supplement of the journal Hepatology. The title of the abstract is "Phase 2 Study of Telaprevir Administered q8h or q12h with Peginterferon-Alfa-2a or -Alfa-2b and Ribavirin in Treatment-NaAve Subjects with Genotype 1 Hepatitis C: Week 4 Interim Results" and the abstract is to be presented at a poster session on Tuesday, November 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST.

In the published abstract, the treatment arms are incorrectly labeled in the table. The correctly labeled table, and the corresponding HCV RNA results, are provided below:

Treatment arm    N     Peg-IFN                    TVR             Ribavirin         Undetectable HCV RNA (<10 IU/mL)
                                                                                    at week 4
A                40    alfa-2a (180               750 mg q8h      1000-1200 mg/d    82%
                       µg/wk)
B                42    alfa-2b (1.5 µg/kg/wk)    750 mg q8h      800-1200 mg/d     71%
C                40    alfa-2a (180 µg/wk)       1125 mg q12h    1000-1200 mg/d    85%
D                39    alfa-2b (1.5 µg/kg/wk)    1125 mg q12h    800-1200 mg/d     68%

About Vertex

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is a global biotechnology company committed to the discovery and development of breakthrough small molecule drugs for serious diseases. The Company's strategy is to commercialize its products both independently and in collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies. Vertex's product pipeline is focused on viral diseases, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, cancer, pain and cystic fibrosis. Vertex co-discovered the HIV protease inhibitor, Lexiva, with GlaxoSmithKline.

Lexiva is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. While we believe the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, there are a number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that the outcomes for each of the clinical trial that is the subject of the abstract referenced in this press release may not be as favorable or may not confirm results from interim analyses conducted during this trial or the results of other clinical trials, that there may be varying interpretations of data produced by one or more of those clinical trials, that unexpected adverse events experienced by patients in any of these trials may slow enrollment or lead to regulatory action, and other risks listed under Risk Factors in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2008 and June 30, 2008, which were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We disclaim any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available.

(VRTX-GEN)

SOURCE: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated 
Michael Partridge, 617-444-6108 
Senior Director, Strategic Communications 
or 
Patricia Farrell, 617-444-6533 
Director, Public Relations 
or 
Lora Pike, 617-444-6755 
Manager, Investor Relations 
or 
Zachry Barber, 617-444-6470 
Manager, Media Relations

Copyright Business Wire 2008

News Provided by COMTEX