Vertex Pharmaceuticals delivered stronger-than-anticipated first-quarter earnings on Monday, powered by explosive growth in revenue from its newest cystic fibrosis medication.
The genetic condition affects the body’s ability to regulate salt and water movement within cells, resulting in serious breathing difficulties and digestive complications including chronic coughing, breathing troubles, and nutritional deficiencies.
Sales of the company’s latest cystic fibrosis treatment, Alyftrek, skyrocketed to $424.4 million during the first three months of the year, representing a dramatic 687% jump from the $53.9 million recorded in the same quarter last year. The once-daily triple-drug combination received regulatory approval in December 2024.
While maintaining its leadership position in cystic fibrosis treatments, the Boston-headquartered pharmaceutical company continues exploring new therapeutic areas. The firm is focusing expansion efforts on Casgevy, its gene therapy targeting sickle cell disease and a blood disorder called transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia, alongside Journavx, an innovative pain medication that doesn’t contain opioids.
However, revenue from the company’s established CF treatment Trikafta fell short of Wall Street projections, generating $2.35 billion versus analyst forecasts of $2.64 billion, based on LSEG data.
Company executives maintained their full-year revenue projections between $12.95 billion and $13.1 billion.
Since Journavx entered the market in March of last year, pharmacies have dispensed over 1 million prescriptions. During the first quarter of 2026, prescription volume surpassed 350,000, producing $29 million in revenue, according to company officials.
Total quarterly revenue climbed 8% to reach $2.99 billion, slightly below the $3.02 billion analysts had projected.
Adjusted earnings per share came in at $4.47, surpassing Wall Street expectations of $4.31 per share.
