Vertex Announces New $750,000 Program to Support the Work of the Next Generation of Cystic Fibrosis Researchers
01 November 2017 - 11:30PM
Business Wire
The Vertex Research Innovation Award (RIA)
Program Will Now Provide up to $10M in Grants Over the Next Five
Years to New Postdoctoral and Faculty Researchers from Around the
World
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX)
announced today a new $750,000 program to support the work of young
faculty who are newly establishing independent research programs in
cystic fibrosis (CF). The program furthers Vertex’s commitment to
the next generation of CF researchers by expanding the existing CF
Research Innovation Awards (RIA) program, which supports the work
of postdoctoral researchers. Applicants from across the globe may
apply now through January 8, 2018. Together, these programs will
provide up to $10 million in grants over the next five years and
are part of Vertex’s recently announced 10-year, $500 million
corporate giving commitment.
The Vertex CF Research Innovation Awards are highly competitive
grants created to inspire and support M.D.s and Ph.Ds. who are
working to advance the understanding of CF and establish their
careers as CF researchers. The awards fall into two categories:
Independent and Mentored.
Independent Research Innovation Awards provide grants of
$750,000 dispersed over three years to support newly independent
faculty members as they establish their own research programs with
outstanding promise in CF. Up to two awards will be given annually
in this category.
Mentored Research Innovation Awards provide grants of up
to $125,000 dispersed over two years to support mentored projects
with established CF researchers. Up to four awards in this category
will be given annually.
“Vertex invests in science to create transformative medicines
for people with serious diseases, and the next generation of
scientists are needed to make this vision a reality,” said David
Altshuler, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Global Research
and Chief Scientific Officer of Vertex. “Supporting the development
of young physician researchers and scientists is critical to
continued advancement of our understanding of the disease, and to
ensure people living with cystic fibrosis have the best care for
the future.”
Reviewed and selected by an independent steering committee,
applications for 2018 are now being accepted until January 8, 2018.
For additional information and to apply please visit
www.cfresearchinnovationaward.com.
About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a rare, life-threatening genetic disease
affecting approximately 75,000 people in North
America, Europe and Australia. CF is caused by a
defective or missing CFTR protein resulting from mutations in
the CFTR gene. Children must inherit two
defective CFTR genes — one from each parent — to have CF.
There are approximately 2,000 known mutations in
the CFTR gene. Some of these mutations, which can be
determined by a genetic test, lead to CF by creating defective or
too few CFTR proteins at the cell surface. The defective or missing
CFTR protein results in poor flow of salt and water into or out of
the cell in a number of organs, including the lungs. This leads to
the buildup of abnormally thick, sticky mucus that can cause
chronic lung infections and progressive lung damage in many
patients that eventually leads to death. The median predicted age
of survival for a person born today with CF is 41 years, but the
median age of death is 27 years.
About Vertex
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that aims to discover,
develop and commercialize innovative medicines so people with
serious diseases can lead better lives. In addition to our clinical
development programs focused on cystic fibrosis, Vertex has more
than a dozen ongoing research programs aimed at other serious and
life-threatening diseases.
Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex today has research
and development sites and commercial offices in the United States,
Europe, Canada and Australia. For eight years in a row, Science
magazine has named Vertex one of its Top Employers in the life
sciences. For additional information and the latest updates from
the company, please visit www.vrtx.com.
Vertex in the Community
Vertex has made a 10-year, $500 million corporate giving
commitment focused on providing patient and caregiver support
including access to our medicines; expanding our commitment to
science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education;
developing young physicians and scientists; and investing in our
communities.
Vertex Is All In for CF
The CF community motivates Vertex employees each and every day –
to dig deeper, to do more, to explore the “what ifs,” and to push
the boundaries of what we know. We aim to discover and develop
medicines that will treat the underlying cause of CF for the vast
majority of people with the disease, and our ultimate goal is to
cure it. Beyond our transformational medicines, we help people with
CF lead active lives and pursue higher education, and we fund
independent research and innovative patient centric programs. To
learn more please visit www.vrtxallincf.com.
(VRTX-GEN)
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Vertex Pharmaceuticals IncorporatedChris Stamm, 617-341-6992
(US)mediainfo@vrtx.com
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