Press Release

Cambridge, MA, May 11, 2005 -- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced results of the voting at its 2005 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Joshua Boger, Ph.D., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vertex also provided shareholders in attendance at the meeting with a brief overview of the Company's 2005 clinical and corporate progress.

At the meeting, shareholders voted to re-elect all three nominees to the Board of Directors. The directors, Roger Brimblecombe, Ph.D., Stuart Collinson, Ph.D., and Matthew Emmens, were re-elected to serve three-year terms expiring in 2008. Shareholders also approved an amendment to the Company's By-laws to increase the size of the Board to a maximum of 11 directors.

"Vertex benefits from a strong and experienced Board of Directors, and it is my pleasure to announce that Roger Brimblecombe, Stuart Collinson and Matthew Emmens have been re-elected to Vertex's Board," stated Dr. Boger. "Today, Vertex shareholders also voted to approve an amendment to increase the maximum size of our Board. As Vertex advances toward becoming a major drug company, this amendment will provide us with the flexibility to nominate new members who have complementary skills and experience and who would enhance the current Board."

Vertex today also announced that Eugene H. Cordes, Ph.D., has been nominated and elected to the Company's Board of Directors as a non-executive member. Dr. Cordes has been a member of the Company's Scientific Advisory Board from 1995 to the present. Dr. Cordes has been a member of the faculty of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor since 1995, and is the Chairman of Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held pharmaceutical company. Dr. Cordes holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Brandeis University.

Also today, the Board of Directors appointed Joshua Boger as President of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in addition to his current roles as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The executive officers of the Company responsible for Drug Evaluation and Approval, Drug Discovery and Innovation, Commercial Operations, Finance and certain other functions will report directly to Dr. Boger.

About Vertex
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is a global biotechnology company committed to the discovery and development of breakthrough small molecule drugs for serious diseases. The Company's strategy is to commercialize its products both independently and in collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies. Vertex's product pipeline is principally focused on viral diseases, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and cancer. In collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline, Vertex co-promotes the HIV protease inhibitor, Lexiva(R).

Lexiva(R) is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.

Vertex Safe Harbor Statement
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. While management makes its best efforts to be accurate in making forward-looking statements, such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause Vertex's actual results to vary materially. Those risks and uncertainties include the risks listed under Risk Factors in Vertex's Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 16, 2005.

Webcast: Vertex Pharmaceuticals' Annual Meeting of Shareholders
An archived webcast of Vertex Pharmaceuticals' Annual Meeting of Shareholders is available via the Internet at www.vrtx.com in the investor center. The archived webcast will be available on Vertex's website until 5:00 p.m. EDT on May 25, 2005.

Vertex Contact:
Michael Partridge, Director, Corporate Communications, (617) 444-6108
Lora Pike, Manager, Investor Relations, (617) 444-6755