The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new pain medication, suzetrigine, marking the first innovative pain treatment approval in over two decades. The drug targets sodium channels involved in pain signaling and offers an alternative to opioid medications, which are associated with risks of dependence and addiction.
Suzetrigine will be available as a prescription pill under the brand name Journavx. Dr. Steven Cohen, a professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a physician at Northwestern Medicine, described the approval as "a major breakthrough for acute pain."
Dr. Cohen emphasized the significance of addressing acute pain effectively without relying on high doses of opioids, which can lead to addiction and long-term issues such as persistent post-surgical pain. Suzetrigine works by blocking the Nav1.8 sodium channel, which plays a role in both acute inflammatory pain—like post-surgical discomfort—and neuropathic pain caused by nervous system diseases or injuries.
"The advantage of suzetrigine is not its efficacy, but rather its side effect profile, including the absence of addiction potential," Dr. Cohen noted. He added that while this could make the drug more effective, further studies are needed.
Although suzetrigine's approval does not cover chronic pain treatment, Dr. Cohen views it as a positive development for future non-opioid pain management options. "The approval will hopefully open the door for more non-opioid treatments for both acute and chronic pain, including those that target other sodium channels," he stated.
Dr. Steven Cohen is available today to discuss the importance of this approval and prospects for non-opioid pain treatments with media representatives. Interested parties can contact Ben Schamisso at ben.schamisso@northwestern.edu to arrange an interview.