Vertex Partners With World Champion Skier Lindsey Vonn to Raise Awareness of JOURNAVX®, a Non-Opioid Medicine Approved for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Acute Pain

- Vonn shares her experience using JOURNAVX to manage her acute pain after a career-altering injury at the 2026 Winter Games -

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that the company has partnered with world champion skier Lindsey Vonn to raise awareness of JOURNAVX^® (suzetrigine), a prescription non-opioid medicine for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain in adults. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2025, JOURNAVX marked the first new class of pain medicine in over 20 years — since then JOURNAVX has been prescribed to over one million Americans. During the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Lindsey suffered a serious crash during her downhill race. The fall resulted in multiple injuries that required immediate surgery and several additional procedures. Now, Lindsey is sharing her story and her personal experience treating her moderate-to-severe acute pain with JOURNAVX.

“I have experienced countless injuries throughout my career, and I’m no stranger to the pain that comes along with them. After my injury at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, opioids were the first thing I was prescribed for pain management. While they helped in the immediate aftermath of the crash, my body just wasn’t handling them well and I was concerned about staying on them — so I knew I wanted to try something else,” said Vonn. “That's when my doctor prescribed me JOURNAVX, a non-opioid option. It helped me immensely and was also effective when a complication from surgery brought on more intense pain. While everyone’s experiences can vary, JOURNAVX has been such an important part of my recovery that it's the only thing I plan to use for acute pain with an upcoming surgery next year.”

“Acute pain can impact anyone at any time,” Vonn added. “Around 80 million adults in the U.S. are prescribed medication for acute pain every year, and about half of all acute pain patients are still prescribed an opioid. I hope that sharing my experience encourages others to talk to their doctor about whether JOURNAVX is right for them.”

“We're proud to partner with ski legend Lindsey Vonn, one of the most decorated athletes in history and someone deeply committed to helping others,” said Duncan McKechnie, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Vertex. “By sharing her pain management experience with JOURNAVX, Lindsey is helping raise awareness about this important non-opioid acute pain treatment option.”

“Postoperative pain management is a priority in the recovery of every patient I treat, and Lindsey's was no exception. Over my career, I've guided countless elite athletes through complex surgeries and demanding recoveries, and my goal is always the same: to find an effective way to manage their pain,” said Thomas Hackett, M.D., Complex Knee and Shoulder Surgeon, The Steadman Clinic. “Having a non-opioid option like JOURNAVX available is critical to that mission. For Lindsey, JOURNAVX played an important role in how we approached her acute pain care, effectively relieving her pain, and I was confident to prescribe it in managing her acute pain following her most recent surgery.”

If you are a healthcare professional and would like more information about JOURNAVX, visit www.journavxhcp.com. If you are a patient and would like more information about JOURNAVX, visit www.journavx.com.

About Journavx

JOURNAVX (suzetrigine) is a first-in-class, oral, non-opioid, highly selective pain signal inhibitor that is selective for NaV1.8 relative to other NaV channels. NaV1.8 is a voltage-gated sodium channel that is selectively expressed in peripheral pain-sensing neurons (nociceptors), where its role is to transmit pain signals (action potentials). Because JOURNAVX blocks pain signals only found in the periphery, not in the brain, JOURNAVX provides effective relief of pain without the limitations of certain currently available therapies, including the addictive potential of opioids.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved twice-daily JOURNAVX for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe acute pain on January 30, 2025.

US INDICATION and IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR JOURNAVX^® (suzetrigine)

INDICATION

JOURNAVX is indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain, including postoperative pain, in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Use of JOURNAVX with strong CYP3A inhibitors is contraindicated.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Increased Risk of Adverse Reactions With Concomitant Use With Strong and Moderate CYP3A Inhibitors: Strong and moderate CYP3A inhibitors increase exposure of suzetrigine and its active metabolite, which may cause adverse reactions. Reduce the JOURNAVX dosage with moderate CYP3A inhibitors.

Risk of Drug Interactions With Certain CYP3A Substrates: Suzetrigine is an inducer of CYP3A. If JOURNAVX is used with sensitive CYP3A substrates or CYP3A substrates where minimal concentration changes may lead to loss of efficacy, refer to the CYP3A substrate’s label for dosing instructions. Dosage adjustment of the CYP3A substrates may be required when starting or stopping JOURNAVX.

Risk of Drug Interactions With Certain Hormonal Contraceptives: Patients taking hormonal contraceptives containing progestins other than levonorgestrel and norethindrone should use additional nonhormonal contraceptives or use alternative contraceptives during treatment with JOURNAVX and for 28 days after.

Risk of Adverse Reactions in Patients With Moderate and Severe Hepatic Impairment: Patients with moderate hepatic impairment have higher systemic exposures of suzetrigine and its active metabolite, which may increase the risk of adverse reactions. Avoid use in patients with severe hepatic impairment and reduce dosage with moderate impairment.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse reactions occurring in ≥1% of patients treated with JOURNAVX and higher than placebo were pruritus, muscle spasms, increased blood creatine phosphokinase, and rash.

Please click here for the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information, for JOURNAVX.

About Vertex

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases and conditions. The company has approved therapies for cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia, acute pain and acromegaly, and it continues to advance clinical and research programs in these areas. Vertex also has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of modalities in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including IgA nephropathy, neuropathic pain, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, primary membranous nephropathy, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, generalized myasthenia gravis, and myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Vertex was founded in 1989 and has its global headquarters in Boston, with international headquarters in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 16 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visit www.vrtx.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements made by Lindsey Vonn, Duncan McKechnie and Thomas Hackett, M.D., in this press release and statements regarding the expectations for the potential benefits of JOURNAVX and expectations for the collaboration with Lindsey Vonn.

While Vertex believes the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, these forward-looking statements represent the company's beliefs only as of the date of this press release and there are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the risks listed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Vertex's annual report and in subsequent filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through the company's website at www.vrtx.com and www.sec.gov. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Vertex disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available.

(VRTX-GEN)