[The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first new type of pain reliever in over two decades, called suzetrigine, or Journavx. It is a prescription pill that works by preventing pain-signaling nerves around the body from firing, unlike opioid medications that dull pain in the brain. The medication was discovered after researchers learned about a family of fire walkers in Pakistan who lacked a gene that allows pain signals to fire, allowing them to walk over hot coals without flinching.
Suzetrigine was approved for acute pain after a larger starter dose, and will be available as a 50-milligram pill to be taken every 12 hours. The FDA believes it can mitigate certain risks associated with using opioids for pain and provides patients with another treatment option.
Studies showed that suzetrigine controlled pain after abdominal and foot surgeries better than an inactive placebo pill, reducing pain by an average of 3.5 points on a scale of 0 to 10. The drug was tested in people with chronic back pain caused by sciatica, and while it did reduce pain by 2 points, it may not be effective for chronic pain. However, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the company that developed the drug, believes it works for long-term pain as well and is continuing to test it in people with diabetic neuropathy.
The drug is priced at $15.50 per 50-mg pill, and patient assistance programs will be available. The effectiveness and coverage of suzetrigine will depend on various factors, including insurance company policies and patient demand. Doctors welcome the new option, citing that the more treatment options available, the better patients can be treated.
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