Biotechnology companies have brought many important treatments to market, from those that treat rare diseases to those that treat common health problems. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -2.34%) has established itself in recent years as a leading player in biotechnology thanks to its work in the field of cystic fibrosis (CF). The company’s portfolio of treatments is changing patients’ lives and generating blockbuster revenues: In the most recent quarter, product revenues climbed double digits to nearly $2.8 billion.

In recent years, investors have appreciated Vertex’s dominance in the cystic fibrosis market, but some have worried about the company’s focus on a single treatment area. These days, however, Vertex is well on its way to eliminating those worries. Earlier this year, it launched a treatment for blood disorders and is now set to tackle one of the world’s most common health problems, a market where the need is particularly high. My prediction is that Vertex is headed for a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and investors who invest in the stock today should benefit for years to come. Let’s find out more.

Image source: Getty Images.

A “multi-billion dollar franchise” for Vertex

I call this a once-in-a-generation opportunity, because it’s not every day that a company launches a drug that has the potential to solve a problem that affects so many people. Serving this market should, as Vertex says, result in a “multi-billion dollar franchise” for the company.

Vertex has reached a key moment as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews its candidate, suzetrigine, for the treatment of acute pain. The FDA has committed to issuing a decision by the January 30 target date.

In the United States alone, more than 80 million people each year ask their doctors for prescriptions to treat moderate to severe acute pain, and the problem is that the options are limited. Over-the-counter pills are not always effective, and prescription opioid medications carry the risk of addiction. Vertex has developed a non-opioid candidate, eliminating the risk of addiction. At the same time, the drug demonstrated strong effectiveness in clinical trials. Suzetrigine works by blocking the sodium channel known as NaV1.8 from transmitting pain signals.

Vertex has already prepared for a possible nod from the FDA, with teams hired, trained and ready to launch. The company’s two initial goals are to secure retail distribution across the United States and create a financial assistance program to immediately support patient access. Suzetrigine is an oral treatment and does not require any special testing before trying it. These elements should promote a rapid launch.

Legislation is another thing that can help suzetrigine. The NOPAIN law, which came into force at the beginning of the year, proposes a price increase for the prescription of non-opioids in outpatient and outpatient surgical hospitals.

More to come…

This all sounds good, but it may just be the beginning for suzetrigine and Vertex’s pain portfolio. The company has launched a phase 3 program for suzetrigine in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. This indication represents a potential group of 2 million patients in the United States. The company also completed a phase 2 trial of suzetrigine in a type of back pain called lumbosacral radiculopathy. Approximately 4 million Americans seek prescriptions for this type of peripheral neuropathic pain each year. Meanwhile, Vertex continues to study other pain candidates and says its goal is to “fundamentally change the way pain is treated.”

The sheer size of the pain market – and I just mentioned the US here – is so large that solving it with a safe and effective product could be a game-changer for patients, as well as Vertex and its investors. It is important to remember that Vertex is already a successful biotechnology player, bringing successful income thanks to its CF program. And the company has more than $11 billion in liquidity, meaning it has what it takes to move Pain and other candidates through the pipeline or even acquire new programs when the opportunity arises.

So the complete Vertex image looks brilliant. On top of that, my prediction that Vertex is currently heading toward a once-in-a-generation opportunity could make this picture even brighter. The pain portfolio could lead to a new era of earnings growth and stock performance, making now a great time to buy and hold Vertex stock. the long term.