Exhibit 23.5


          Consent of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated


         We hereby consent to the use of our opinion letter dated April 29,
2001 to the Board of Directors of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
included as Annex B to the Joint Proxy Statement-Prospectus which forms a
part of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 relating to the proposed
merger of Aurora Biosciences Corporation with and into Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Incorporated and to the references to such opinion in such Joint Proxy
Statement-Prospectus under the captions "Summary of the Joint Proxy
Statement-Prospectus--The Merger--Recommendations of the Boards of Directors
and Opinions of Financial Advisors", "The Merger--Background of the Merger",
"The Merger--Vertex's Reasons for the Merger", "The Merger--Opinion of
Vertex's Financial Advisor" and "The Merger--The Merger Agreement". In giving
such consent, we do not admit and we hereby disclaim that we come within the
category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, nor do we thereby admit that
we are experts with respect to any part of such Registration Statement within
the meaning of the term "experts" as used in the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission thereunder.

                               MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER &
                                    SMITH INCORPORATED


                               By: /s/ MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER &
                                            SMITH INCORPORATED
                                   -----------------------------------

May 22, 2001