Millions of Americans suffering from moderate to severe pain will soon have a new non-opioid treatment option. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Journavx (suzetrigine), the first new class of pain medication in 25 years.
Journavx, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, is a 50-milligram prescription pill taken every 12 hours after an initial larger dose. Unlike opioids, which work by dulling pain signals in the brain, suzetrigine blocks pain at its source, preventing nerve signals from firing before they reach the brain.
“Today’s approval is an important public health milestone in acute pain management,” said Dr. Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
Government surveys show painkillers are the most commonly prescribed drugs in hospitals, and 80 million Americans fill prescriptions for moderate to severe pain each year, according to a study by Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
“In my 24 years practicing medicine, I have seen firsthand the desperate need for new non-opioid therapies for treating pain. Too many people today are either undertreated, dealing with negative side effects of currently available therapies or foregoing pain medications altogether for fear of becoming dependent on opioids,” said Dr. Scott Weiner, the Vertex Acute Pain Steering Committee Chair.
The most common adverse reactions in study participants who received Journavx were itching, muscle spasms, increased blood level of creatine phosphokinase, and rash.
