Yes, I saw it and welcome any help a patient can get.
Vertex certainly wants to attract as many new patients before they get competition in this space as they certainly will get as research in this field has been ongoing for probably 50 years since the early discoveries of selectivity in blockage of the various Sodium Channels (NaV gates) thoughout the neuronal network of the body. The 1.8 Volt Sodium Channel just happens to selectively be the one that the pain nerve fibers transmit pain impulses up the spinal cord to the brain. If you used a totally non-selective NaV Channel Blocker you would kill the patient very rapidly, ie Tetrodotoxin of the puffer fish and lately the plastic surgeon's office. It is the remarkable selectivity of this drug that makes it useful. It is the First of its class. It won't be the last. Drug companies like to let the small guys do the heavy lifting then put out a slightly better one and out market the little guy. I've watched this for 50 years as a practicing forensic toxicologist. It has been interesting.