It usually doesn't matter if you buy a given stock immediately or two weeks later. Sure, the stock could move up or down but typically not enough to matter all that much.

However, there are exceptions. Sometimes, a stock has a potential catalyst right around the corner. In such a case, investors could be much better off buying sooner rather than later.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -0.41%) might be one of those special cases. Should you buy Vertex stock hand over fist before Jan. 30?

A key date for Vertex

What's so special about Jan. 30 for Vertex? It's the PDUFA action date set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for making an approval decision on suzetrigine in treating acute pain. 

Vertex built its business treating the underlying genetic cause of cystic fibrosis (CF), a rare disease that affects only around 109,000 patients worldwide. Suzetrigine could open the door to a new chapter for the company. Acute pain affects around 80 million people -- a multibillion-dollar opportunity. 

The chances of FDA approval for suzetrigine appear to be pretty good. In phase 3 testing, the drug achieved around 50% reduction in the numeric pain rating scale used to measure pain intensity after abdominoplasty and bunionectomy surgeries. The likelihood of subsequent tremendous commercial success looks promising, too. Suzetrigine isn't an opioid. That's important considering the magnitude of the opioid crisis in the U.S. 

Vertex is ready to hit the ground running if the FDA approves suzetrigine this month. I expect the drug will have a relatively fast commercial ramp-up if approved. I also think it could become a meaningful contributor to Vertex's revenue beginning as soon as the latter part of 2025.

More than just one catalyst

While the pending suzetrigine approval is the main reason to buy Vertex stock before Jan. 30, this FDA decision isn't the only catalyst on the way for the big biotech company. Vertex won FDA approval for its newest CF drug, Alyftrek on Dec. 20, 2024. This therapy seems likely to become the new standard of care for CF with its powerful efficacy and convenient once-per-day administration. Look for the launch of Alyftrek to boost Vertex's sales in the coming quarters. 

Vertex is also picking up momentum with its launch of Casgevy in treating the rare blood disorders sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. The complexity of the process involved with the first approved CRISPR gene-editing therapy makes the launch of Casgevy slower than most therapies would have. However, Vertex has a big opportunity and has over 50 authorized treatment centers activated. 

The company expects to share data from two clinical trials this year. One is from a phase 1/2 study evaluating VX-522, a messenger RNA therapy that could treat the roughly 5,000 CF patients who can't benefit from Vertex's other CF products. The other is from a phase 1/2 part B study of VX-264, a potential cure for type 1 diabetes.

Looking beyond 2025, Vertex has four other late-stage clinical studies underway that could bear fruit within a few years. It's evaluating suzetrigine in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a common pain experienced by people with diabetes. Zimislecel is Vertex's most advanced potentially curative therapy for type 1 diabetes but requires taking immunosuppressants which limits its usage. Inaxaplin targets APOL1-mediated kidney disease, which affects around 250,000 patients worldwide. Vertex is evaluating povetacicept for IgA nephropathy, another kidney disease that affects over 1 million patients.

Buy this biotech stock hand over fist?

In case you have any doubts about my opinion of Vertex, I think it is a biotech stock to buy hand over fist before Jan. 30. The company has a strong financial position thanks to its dominance in the CF market. Casgevy should begin to hit its stride commercially in 2025. Suzetregine should soon become another blockbuster drug for Vertex. And much more good news could be in store in the coming months and years.

However, Jan. 30 might not be as important of a date as it might seem. The FDA approved Alyftrek nearly two weeks before its PDUFA date. Vertex could win approval for suzetrigine early, too.