Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
ALTSHULER DAVID
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC / MA [VRTX]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP, Global Research and CSO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED, 50 NORTHERN AVENUE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
06/29/2018
(Street)

BOSTON, MA 02210
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 06/29/2018   M   1,796 A $ 91.05 71,795 D  
Common Stock 06/29/2018   M   11,649 A $ 86.52 83,444 D  
Common Stock 06/29/2018   S(1)   7,535 D $ 161.57 75,909 D  
Common Stock 06/29/2018   S(1)   31,796 D $ 165.46 (2) (3) 44,113 D  
Common Stock 06/29/2018   S(1)   5,000 D $ 167.04 39,113 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 91.05 06/29/2018   M     1,796   (4) 02/01/2026 Common Stock 1,796 $ 0 12,572 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 86.52 06/29/2018   M     11,649   (5) 02/02/2027 Common Stock 11,649 $ 0 25,629 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
ALTSHULER DAVID
C/O VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
50 NORTHERN AVENUE
BOSTON, MA 02210
      EVP, Global Research and CSO  

Signatures

 /s/ Stephen Migausky, Attorney-in-Fact   07/03/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Transaction made pursuant to Mr. Altshuler's company-approved trading plan under Rule 10b5-1.
(2) Open market sales reported on this line occurred at a weighted average price of $165.46 (range $165.13 to $166.05).
(3) Mr. Altshuler undertakes to provide (upon request by the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer) full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.
(4) The option vests in 16 quarterly installments from 2/2/2016.
(5) The option vests in 16 quarterly installments from 2/3/2017.

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