A newly approved pain medication, suzetrigine, is the first nonopioid analgesic in 25 years to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a breakthrough that has excited pain specialists nationwide. Dr. Brett Stacey, a University of Washington pain medicine expert, praised the drug for its effectiveness and minimal side effects.
“This is the first drug in my career that was developed this way, and that is effective and has few side effects,” said Stacey, who has worked in pain medicine for nearly 40 years. He is the division chief of pain medicine and a professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the UW School of Medicine.
Suzetrigine works differently from opioids, targeting the sensory nerves before pain signals reach the brain. Opioids alter how the brain processes pain, but they are also associated with risks such as drowsiness, respiratory depression, and addiction.
“This new drug was designed to avoid those potential problems,” Stacey said.
For years, researchers have studied sodium channels in nerve cells as potential drug targets. Suzetrigine, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, selectively affects a subset of sensory nerves that conduct pain signals. By reducing the signals at the spinal cord level, it prevents them from reaching the brain.
Suzetrigine’s effectiveness was confirmed in clinical trials involving patients recovering from bunion surgery and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). The trials compared the drug—then known as VX-548—to a placebo, with participants also having access to ibuprofen as a backup pain reliever. Results showed significantly better pain reduction with VX-548, without serious side effects.
The FDA, which has long supported nonopioid alternatives, expedited its review, leading to suzetrigine’s approval. The medication is now available as a 50-milligram tablet and can be prescribed for up to 14 days to manage acute pain. The wholesale cost is $15.50 per pill, or $31 per day based on the recommended twice-daily dosage. Actual costs for patients will depend on insurance coverage and other factors.
Ongoing clinical trials are assessing whether the drug could be effective for chronic pain conditions. Stacey believes more research will confirm its potential.
“I would bet that in a couple of years, we could sit down and have this conversation and that either this medication or medication very much like this is now approved for some chronic pain conditions,” he said. “But we’re not there yet.”
©2025 Cox Media Group
