Three scientists who revolutionized the treatment of cystic fibrosis and prolonged the lifespan of patients with the deadly disease have won the Lasker Award, one of the most prestigious awards in medicine.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals researcher Paul Negulescu, former Vertex researcher Jesús (Tito) González, and University of Iowa professor Michael Welsh, will share the $250,000 prize. The Lasker DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, as it’s formally known, is given for a “major advance that improves the lives of thousands of people,” according to the Lasker Foundation.

“It’s not only gratifying and rewarding,” said Negulescu, a senior vice president at Vertex. “Our hope is that our work can serve as lessons for other research.”

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