Vertex Pharmaceuticals reported second‑quarter revenue of $3.33 billion, a 12 percent rise from a year earlier, driven in part by expanding sales of its non‑opioid acute pain drug Journavx.
Revenue growth bolstered by new pain medication
Journavx, the firm’s first‑in‑class oral treatment for adults with moderate‑to‑severe acute pain, generated $50 million in the quarter. That amount represents a 71 percent increase from the first quarter of 2026 and more than four times the $12 million recorded in the same quarter of 2025.
About 535,000 prescriptions for the drug were filled during the second quarter, bringing the total for the first half of 2026 to nearly 900,000 across hospital and retail settings. Vertex secured agreements with two additional major pharmacy benefit managers to provide Medicare Part D coverage, extending reimbursed access to seniors covered by three of the four largest PBMs.
The four largest PBMs are generally recognized as CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, Optum Rx and Prime Therapeutics. In addition, 23 state Medicaid programs now cover Journavx, expanding reimbursed access to roughly 260 million Americans through commercial and government health plans.
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International filing and emerging evidence
Outside the United States, Health Canada accepted Vertex’s submission for Journavx to treat moderate‑to‑severe acute pain, and the application is currently under review. A recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery offered real‑world evidence that the drug, when incorporated into multimodal pain management, supported opioid‑free recovery after aesthetic or reconstructive procedures.
Spending rose during the quarter as the firm continued to invest in the Journavx launch and in its kidney disease programs. Research and development, as well as selling, general and administrative expenses, were higher than in the comparable period last year.
Pipeline expansion and future outlook
Vertex is extending its pain pipeline beyond acute pain. The firm expects to finish enrollment by the end of 2026 in two phase 3 studies evaluating Journavx for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and it aims to complete enrollment this year in a phase 2 study of VX‑993 for the same condition. Earlier‑stage research includes medicines targeting NaV1.7, potentially used alone or with NaV1.8 inhibitors for acute and neuropathic pain.
Non‑cystic fibrosis products, including Journavx and the gene‑editing therapy Casgevy, are projected to generate at least $500 million in revenue during 2026.
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The FDA accepted the biologics license application for povetacicept, a candidate for immunoglobulin A nephropathy, and set a target action date of November 30, 2026. Vertex also reported progress on programs for cystic fibrosis, type 1 diabetes and kidney disease.
Future plans include closing the planned acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter of 2026. Valued at roughly $10 billion, the deal would broaden the portfolio into rare endocrine diseases, though it was not reflected in the updated financial report.
For patients, the broader insurance coverage means that more seniors and Medicaid recipients can now obtain Journavx without out‑of‑pocket hurdles, potentially easing the transition away from opioid‑based regimens.
