fibrosis. Vertex has refused to make Trikafta available in developing countries and works to block generic alternatives, making it inaccessible for thousands of patients. Genetic therapies In 2015, Vertex entered into a research collaboration with CRISPR Therapeutics to develop gene-editing therapies for genetic diseases. In May 2020, CTX001 has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia and from the European Medicines Agency for sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. In 2016, the company entered into a collaboration with Moderna to develop new mRNA-based therapeutics to treat CF; Vertex paid Moderna $20M in cash and provided an additional $20M in cash in exchange for a convertible note that Vertex can cash in for stock. Vertex also promised to pay up to $275M in milestone payments. In 2019, Vertex established a research collaboration with a privately held company Arbor Biotechnologies to discover novel proteins to advance the development of new gene-editing therapies for cystic fibrosis and four other diseases. With seven different areas of focus in the deal, Vertex is paying up to $1.2 billion in milestones along with undisclosed up-front payments. Vertex's product pipeline includes drug regimens targeting specialty diseases like sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, pain, and APOL1-mediated kidney diseases. Historical Telaprevir In 2014, Vertex discontinued telaprevir. In May 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved the drug telaprevir (Incivek) as an oral treatment for hepatitis C. Development and commercialization of telaprevir was shared with Johnson & Johnson for European distribution and Mitsubishi for Asia. Telaprevir is a protease inhibitor. CEO compensation In 2015, several media outlets reported CEO Jeffrey Leiden's 2014 compensation to be approximately US$48.5 million. Vertex shareholders opted for a reduction in CEO compensation in 2015 and 2016, resulting in 2016 earnings of US$17.4 million. Pricing in the UK Criticism of Vertex-based around claims that the pricing of their groundbreaking cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi (priced at to per patient per year, depending on the patient's country), limited access to the drug for children and young adults with cystic fibrosis, resulted in campaigns by concerned parent groups and allegations of unfair pricing by the UK's National Health Service. In March 2019, Vertex was legally required to destroy 7,880 packs of Orkambi that reached their expiry dates during negotiations with the NHS concerning the drug's pricing. On October 24, 2019, NHS England