Vertex’s Price Tag For Taking More Control Of CRISPR-Partnered Candidate: At Least $900m

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated increased its wager on a gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia on 20 April, paying CRISPR Therapeutics AG $900m up front to increase both its responsibility and its economic share of CTX001, now in potentially registrational studies for both of the rare hemoglobinopathies.

Vertex told Scrip that if the two ongoing studies continue at their current pace with further positive results, CTX001 could...