The FDA has approved suzetrigine, a new, non-opioid medication for adults with moderate to severe acute pain.
This marks the first approval of a new class of pain relief drugs in more than 20 years, according to a Jan. 30 news release from the agency. Suzetrigine, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, works by blocking the NaV1.8 pain signal pathway, offering an alternative to opioids.
The approval comes after early clinical trials in which the drug demonstrated effective pain relief following surgery without euphoric highs typically associated with opioids. The drug is being marketed as non-addictive by Vertex, though some experts told The Washington Post they are skeptical of that claim.
Acute pain is a condition affecting more than 80 million Americans annually, many of whom are prescribed opioids. While opioids remain a standard treatment for pain, their addictive properties have led to a public health crisis.