<div id="subtitle">Vertex Pharmaceuticals says cystic fibrosis drug meets key goals in midstage study</div><div><p>Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Wednesday its experimental cystic fibrosis drug VX-809 met key safety and tolerability goals in a midstage study.</p><p>The company also said the drug candidate prompted a response in a key protein for patients in the study, though that was not the study's main goal. The results are only preliminary, Vertex said.</p><p>The study involves 89 patients receiving one of four doses of VX-809, or placebo, in addition to standard therapies, for 28 days.</p><p>The company plans on moving forward with combining VX-809 with its other experimental cystic fibrosis drug, VX-770, for additional studies in the second half of 2010.</p><p>Cystic fibrosis causes a fluid imbalance in the lungs, resulting in mucus plugging, infection and inflammation. It affects about 30,000 people in the U.S. and around 70,000 people worldwide, the company has said.</p><p>Shares of Vertex fell 70 cents to $39.79 in morning trading.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=68384278&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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