The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new non-opioid painkiller, suzetrigine, marketed under the brand name Journavx. This medication is designed to treat moderate to severe short-term pain in adults without the risk of addiction associated with opioids.
How Journavx Works Differently from Opioids
Unlike traditional opioid painkillers, which block pain signals in the brain while triggering dopamine release (leading to addiction risks), Journavx operates differently. It targets pain signals before they reach the brain, offering effective pain relief without stimulating opioid receptors.
According to Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the drug’s manufacturer, this unique mechanism makes Journavx a safer alternative to opioids.
The opioid epidemic in the United States has been a growing concern for years. In 2017, former President Donald Trump declared it a public health emergency, calling it a “national shame.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that opioid overdose deaths reached 82,000 in 2022. Many of these cases involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which continue to flood into the US.
Now in his second term, President Trump has proposed 25% border tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, citing fentanyl smuggling as a key concern. He has also threatened tariffs on China, accusing it of exporting fentanyl to the US.
Clinical Trials and FDA Approval
The FDA granted approval for Journavx after clinical trials demonstrated its effectiveness in post-surgical pain relief. The agency called this approval “an important public health milestone” in the effort to find safer alternatives to opioids for pain management.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals estimates that nearly 10% of acute pain patients who start with opioids eventually develop prolonged opioid use. Journavx offers a potential solution to this problem.
The First New Painkiller Class in Over Two Decades
Journavx is the first new class of pain medicine to receive FDA approval in more than 20 years. Vertex CEO Reshma Kewalramani hailed the approval as a “historic milestone”, emphasizing its potential impact on the 80 million Americans prescribed pain medication each year.
Cost and Availability
Journavx will be priced at $15.50 (£12.50) per capsule, according to Vertex Pharmaceuticals. However, the company stated that its safety and effectiveness in children have not yet been determined.
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