MPs call on U.K. government to resolve Orkambi impasse

Members of Parliament called on the U.K. government on Monday to resolve an impasse that has stalled reimbursement discussions between Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VRTX) and NHS England over the price of Orkambi lumacaftor/ivacaftor. The move came three days after NHS England refused to provide additional room in its budget to fund the cystic fibrosis drug.

On Friday, Vertex said in a statement that it was "astonished and dismayed" by a counterproposal from NHS England that "amounts to a refusal to make any additional funding available for Orkambi or future medicines."...