Vertex to Acquire ViaCyte, With the Goal of Accelerating its Potentially Curative VX-880 Programs in Type 1 Diabetes
Summary
“VX-880 has successfully demonstrated clinical proof of concept in T1D, and the acquisition of ViaCyte will accelerate our goal of transforming, if not curing T1D by expanding our capabilities and bringing additional tools, technologies and assets to our current stem cell-based programs,” said Reshma Kewalramani, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Vertex. Vertex’s VX-880, an investigational allogeneic stem cell-derived, fully differentiated, insulin-producing islet cell therapy for T1D, has already achieved proof-of-concept with highly promising safety and efficacy results from an ongoing Phase 1/2 study which continues to enroll and dose patients. The company has significant clinical experience in patients with T1D; this includes a first-in-class gene-edited, immune-evasive investigational islet cell replacement therapy for diabetes that could potentially eliminate the need for exogenous insulin without requiring immunosuppression. ViaCyte has received support for its research from JDRF and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine and has established collaborative partnerships with leading companies, including CRISPR Therapeutics, to advance its therapies for T1D. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that the transaction is subject to certain conditions, including the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, that Vertex may not realize the potential benefits of the transaction, that data from a limited number of patients may not be indicative of final clinical trial results, and that data from the companys development programs, including the T1D programs, may not support registration or further development of its potential medicines in a timely manner, or at all, due to safety, efficacy, or other reasons, and other risks listed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Vertexs annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through the companys website at www.vrtx.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.