Health
Vertex Says 20,000 Prescriptions Filled for Non-Opioid Pain Drug
The Vertex Pharmaceuticals headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts.
Photographer: Scott Eisen/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. said more than 20,000 prescriptions have been dispensed for its new non-addictive painkiller, a sign that the drug is gaining some early traction as it attempts to displace opioids.
The company disclosed the prescription tally in its earnings release Monday. It includes both hospital and retail settings from when the drug, Journavx, became available in early March through April 18. Vertex said revenue from the medicine was “insignificant” in the first quarter.