merrion street

Minister for Health, Simon Harris has welcomed the announcement by Vertex Pharmaceuticals that it has received EU market authorisation for Symkevi.   

The decision will result in Irish patients having access to this important drug. 

Minister Harris said: "I am delighted to see that a new treatment has been approved for CF patients in Ireland and their families.  Over the next number of weeks the HSE will work with Vertex to ensure timely access to this new treatment for Irish patients. 

"This is a really important development and a significant day for patients with cystic fibrosis." 

Symkevi can assist with the treatment of people with cystic fibrosis aged 12 and older who either have two copies of the F508demutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, or one copy of the F508del mutation and a copy of one of 14 mutations that result in residual CTFR activity  It is the first medicine in the EU to treat the CFTR protein defect in patients.