Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Elemer Piros last night initiated coverage of Proteostasis (PTI) with an Overweight rating and $21 price target. Proteostasis is developing CFTR modulator therapies for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, Piros tells investors in a research note. The analyst sees a "clear opportunity" for Proteostasis to carve out a good portion of the market and make a name for itself in CF. Vertex (VRTX) has opened the door for developing CFTR modulators, says Piros.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals and TreeFrog Therapeutics announced that Vertex has obtained an exclusive license to TreeFrog's proprietary cell manufacturing technology, C-Stem, to optimize production of Vertex's cell therapies for type 1 diabetes, or T1D. TreeFrog and Vertex will collaborate to scale-up TreeFrog's process to produce and amplify cells for Vertex's T1D therapies. TreeFrog's proprietary technology platform, C-Stem, is designed to mimic the natural microenvironment, allowing cells to grow exponentially in 3D. The technology will enhance Vertex's ability to generate large amounts of fully differentiated cells for its portfolio of T1D cell therapies.