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The company’s total revenues of $2.99 billion rose 8% year over year, driven by higher sales of cystic fibrosis (CF) drugs Trikafta/Kaftrio and Alyftrek, as well as meaningful contributions from new non-CF products, Journavx and Casgevy. Vertex reiterated its full-year 2026 revenue guidance in the range of $12.95-$13.10 billion for 2026.
Investor focus was on the performance of Vertex’s newer drugs, Alyftrek, Journavx and Casgevy, which were launched in the past couple of years and hold the key to long-term growth.
Alyftrek is a once-a-day oral triple combination regimen for CF. Journavx is a novel non-opioid pain medicine (suzetrigine) and Vertex and partner CRISPR Therapeutics’ (CRSP - Free Report) Casgevy is a one-shot gene therapy approved for two blood disorders, sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia.
Year to date, shares of Vertex have declined 6.3% compared with the industry’s decrease of 0.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let’s dig deeper to understand how these new products performed in the first quarter and the company’s outlook for the same through the rest of the year.
VRTX’s Alyftrek Tops $1B Global Sales as Launch Gains Pace
Alyftrek continues to outperform expectations and generated sales worth $424.4 million in the first quarter compared with $380.1 million in the fourth quarter. The rollout of Alyftrek in the United States and Europe is progressing well across all patient groups. The drug has now surpassed $1 billion in cumulative global revenues since its approval in the United States in late 2024 and in the EU in July 2025. Alyftrek’s once-daily dosing and improved sweat chloride profile continue to resonate with patients and doctors.
VRTX’s Casgevy, Journavx Contribute 25% of Revenue Growth
In the first quarter, products from Vertex’s new non-CF disease areas, namely Casgevy and Journavx, drove approximately 25% of total product revenue growth, which was encouraging as Vertex’s dependence on just the CF franchise for revenues has been a growing concern. CF sales are also slightly slowing down.
Journavx (suzetrigine) generated $29 million in sales in the first quarter compared with $26.7 million in the fourth quarter. Prescription growth remains strong, although first-quarter revenues reflected some normal inventory destocking.
More than 350,000 prescriptions were written for Journavx across both hospital and retail settings in the quarter compared to approximately 550,000 in all of 2025, showing that uptake is accelerating. In 2026, Vertex expects Journavx prescriptions to triple compared to 550,000 written in 2025, supported by a larger commercial field force, wider payer coverage, and improving gross-to-net economics.
Journavx’s reimbursement trends are also improving. Coverage has expanded to about 240 million lives, supported by agreements with the three largest commercial pharmacy benefit managers. The company also secured its first major Medicare Part D coverage agreement, effective May 1. Discussions are continuing with the remaining major Medicare plans and regional payers, which could further expand access.
Vertex and partner CRISPR’s one-shot gene therapy, Casgevy’s sales were $42.9 million in the first quarter of 2026, down from $54.3 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025 due to quarter-to-quarter variability in Casgevy infusions.
Nonetheless, the launch of Casgevy is gaining traction across the United States, Europe and the Middle East, with more than 500 patients having started treatment since launch, hundreds completing initial cell collection, and many already reaching the stage where edited cells are ready for infusion.
Vertex is also making rapid progress in the drug’s access and reimbursement and secured a pricing agreement for Casgevy in Germany in the first quarter.
In 2026, Vertex expects continued quarter-to-quarter variability in Casgevy infusions, which the company expects will smooth out in 2027 and beyond.
While Alyftrek will be the key driver of Vertex’s total revenues in 2026, with Journavx and Casgevy gaining traction, Vertex is steadily broadening its growth base beyond CF. The company expects non-CF products to generate revenues of $500 million plus in 2026, representing year-over-year growth of around 185%, driven by growing Casgevy infusions and a meaningful ramp in Journavx prescriptions and revenues.
Agenus’ shares have risen 29.2% in the past year. Estimates for its 2026 earnings per share have increased from 54 cents to $1.30 over the past 60 days. Loss estimates for 2027 have narrowed from $1.91 per share to $1.52 per share.
Agenus’ earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters while missing in the other two, with the average surprise being 31.42%.
In the past 60 days, estimates for Amarin’s loss per share have narrowed from $7.01 to $6.36 for 2026. During the same time, loss per share estimates for 2027 have narrowed from $5.50 to $4.64. In the past year, shares of AMRN have gained 42%.
Amarin’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters while missing in one, the average surprise being 50.02%.
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VRTX's Alyftrek, Journavx & Casgevy See Strong Momentum in Q1 Earnings
Key Takeaways
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated’s (VRTX - Free Report) first-quarter 2026 results were decent as it beat estimates for earnings and sales.
The company’s total revenues of $2.99 billion rose 8% year over year, driven by higher sales of cystic fibrosis (CF) drugs Trikafta/Kaftrio and Alyftrek, as well as meaningful contributions from new non-CF products, Journavx and Casgevy. Vertex reiterated its full-year 2026 revenue guidance in the range of $12.95-$13.10 billion for 2026.
Investor focus was on the performance of Vertex’s newer drugs, Alyftrek, Journavx and Casgevy, which were launched in the past couple of years and hold the key to long-term growth.
Alyftrek is a once-a-day oral triple combination regimen for CF. Journavx is a novel non-opioid pain medicine (suzetrigine) and Vertex and partner CRISPR Therapeutics’ (CRSP - Free Report) Casgevy is a one-shot gene therapy approved for two blood disorders, sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia.
Year to date, shares of Vertex have declined 6.3% compared with the industry’s decrease of 0.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let’s dig deeper to understand how these new products performed in the first quarter and the company’s outlook for the same through the rest of the year.
VRTX’s Alyftrek Tops $1B Global Sales as Launch Gains Pace
Alyftrek continues to outperform expectations and generated sales worth $424.4 million in the first quarter compared with $380.1 million in the fourth quarter. The rollout of Alyftrek in the United States and Europe is progressing well across all patient groups. The drug has now surpassed $1 billion in cumulative global revenues since its approval in the United States in late 2024 and in the EU in July 2025. Alyftrek’s once-daily dosing and improved sweat chloride profile continue to resonate with patients and doctors.
VRTX’s Casgevy, Journavx Contribute 25% of Revenue Growth
In the first quarter, products from Vertex’s new non-CF disease areas, namely Casgevy and Journavx, drove approximately 25% of total product revenue growth, which was encouraging as Vertex’s dependence on just the CF franchise for revenues has been a growing concern. CF sales are also slightly slowing down.
Journavx (suzetrigine) generated $29 million in sales in the first quarter compared with $26.7 million in the fourth quarter. Prescription growth remains strong, although first-quarter revenues reflected some normal inventory destocking.
More than 350,000 prescriptions were written for Journavx across both hospital and retail settings in the quarter compared to approximately 550,000 in all of 2025, showing that uptake is accelerating. In 2026, Vertex expects Journavx prescriptions to triple compared to 550,000 written in 2025, supported by a larger commercial field force, wider payer coverage, and improving gross-to-net economics.
Journavx’s reimbursement trends are also improving. Coverage has expanded to about 240 million lives, supported by agreements with the three largest commercial pharmacy benefit managers. The company also secured its first major Medicare Part D coverage agreement, effective May 1. Discussions are continuing with the remaining major Medicare plans and regional payers, which could further expand access.
Vertex and partner CRISPR’s one-shot gene therapy, Casgevy’s sales were $42.9 million in the first quarter of 2026, down from $54.3 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025 due to quarter-to-quarter variability in Casgevy infusions.
Nonetheless, the launch of Casgevy is gaining traction across the United States, Europe and the Middle East, with more than 500 patients having started treatment since launch, hundreds completing initial cell collection, and many already reaching the stage where edited cells are ready for infusion.
Vertex is also making rapid progress in the drug’s access and reimbursement and secured a pricing agreement for Casgevy in Germany in the first quarter.
In 2026, Vertex expects continued quarter-to-quarter variability in Casgevy infusions, which the company expects will smooth out in 2027 and beyond.
While Alyftrek will be the key driver of Vertex’s total revenues in 2026, with Journavx and Casgevy gaining traction, Vertex is steadily broadening its growth base beyond CF. The company expects non-CF products to generate revenues of $500 million plus in 2026, representing year-over-year growth of around 185%, driven by growing Casgevy infusions and a meaningful ramp in Journavx prescriptions and revenues.
VRTX’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
Vertex currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Agenus (AGEN - Free Report) and Amarin (AMRN - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Agenus’ shares have risen 29.2% in the past year. Estimates for its 2026 earnings per share have increased from 54 cents to $1.30 over the past 60 days. Loss estimates for 2027 have narrowed from $1.91 per share to $1.52 per share.
Agenus’ earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters while missing in the other two, with the average surprise being 31.42%.
In the past 60 days, estimates for Amarin’s loss per share have narrowed from $7.01 to $6.36 for 2026. During the same time, loss per share estimates for 2027 have narrowed from $5.50 to $4.64. In the past year, shares of AMRN have gained 42%.
Amarin’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters while missing in one, the average surprise being 50.02%.