First Non-Opioid Painkiller Approved

Journavx (suzetrigine) is the first FDA-approved non-opioid analgesic for treating acute post-surgery pain.

It works by selectively blocking NaV1.8 sodium channels on peripheral nociceptors, preventing pain signals from reaching the brain.

Because it does not enter the central nervous system, it avoids opioid-related euphoria, addiction, and respiratory depression.

Development took 27 years, involving high-throughput screening of millions of compounds and overcoming failures with other pain targets like NaV1.7, TRPV1, and nerve growth factor.

Journavx is approved only for acute pain, is more expensive than opioid combinations, and is not yet tested for chronic pain, though trials are underway.