News & Events

Cambridge, MA, February 18, 2005 -- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) will webcast its presentations at the BIO CEO and Investor Conference on February 23, 2005 and at the SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Therapeutics Conference on March 1, 2005.

Joshua Boger, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Vertex will provide an overview of the Company and review its 2005 corporate goals at the BIO CEO and Investor Conference. Vertex's presentation will be conducted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 at 12:00 p.m. EST. In addition, Dr. Boger will participate in an industry focus session on emerging treatments for hepatitis at 9:30 a.m. EST.

Ian Smith, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer will present at the SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Therapeutics Conference. The presentation and discussion, which will be audio webcast only, will be conducted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 at 10:20 a.m. EST.

The presentations will be webcast live and may be accessed by visiting the Vertex website at www.vrtx.com. A replay of the webcasts will also be available on the Company's website for two weeks following the presentations. To access the webcasts, go to Vertex's website and select the 'BIO CEO and Investor Conference' or the 'SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Therapeutics Conference' from the 'Events Calendar.' To ensure a timely connection, it is recommended that users register at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled webcast.

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 principally focused on viral diseases, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and cancer. In collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline, Vertex co-promotes the HIV protease inhibitor, Lexiva®.

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

Vertex Contact:
Lora Pike, Manager, Investor Relations, (617) 444-6755