4 ms·

FDA Approves drug to treat pain without opioid effects

53 points by remh 2y ago

BugsJustFindMe 2y ago
There's no reason for this to be a NYT link. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-novel-non-opioid-treatment-moderate-severe-acute-pain https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-appr...
- dewitt 2y ago
  > "There's no reason for this to be a NYT link." I respectfully disagree. The NYT paid the author, Gina Kolata, to research and write the story, which contains more details than just the press release alone, then used their platform to made the news widely available and thus helped people like me discover it. As cynical as one may be about the state of contemporary journalism, I'd say that short articles like this are still something good that comes out of newspapers in 2025, and I hope it doesn't go away just yet.
  - giarc 2y ago
    For those without a NYT subscription, a link to the press release is handy.
    - owlninja 2y ago
      Here is a free link for anyone: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/health/fda-journavx-suzetrigine-vertex-opioids.html?unlocked_article_code=1.tU4.zCNQ.TmFmqo16N5p6&smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/health/fda-journavx-suzet...
  - whamlastxmas 2y ago
    Journalism on science and medicine gets more things wrong than right.
  - benrapscallion 2y ago
    Given how late in the article it is mentioned that the drug was indistinguishable from placebo, this NYT article may well have been commissioned by Vertex. [1] https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/pain-comes-territory https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/pain-comes-territo...
    - cbhl 2y ago
      My impression is that the "indistinguishable from placebo" is only in reference to a study on people with Sciatica, but that a different study did show a statistically-significant effect on post-surgical pain. $465 USD for a 15-day supply definitely pricey -- but options for people who weren't well-served by Purdue Pharma / OxyContin seem good, especially if the mechanism of action is different.
    - exabrial 2y ago
      > Side effects of suzetrigine reported by patients were similar to the ones reported by those taking the placebo If this is what you're referring to, note the article is talking about the side effects. Not trying to say I'm for/against the drug, just wanted to point a possible incorrect conclusion.
  - Dalewyn 2y ago
    Middlemen like town criers and nowadays "journalists" were useful when distributing information en masse quickly was a tremendous if not next to impossible logistical challenge. Today when anyone can get information straight from the source instantly, we do not need these middlemen. There is no reason for this to be an NYT link, nor any other middleman link. The less players there are in the game of telephone the more accurate the information will be.
    - thomassmith65 2y ago
      Many news stories require domain expertise to understand. If there's a news item involving Brazilian law, or a new Aluminum alloy, or a newly identified virus, then I likely wouldn't understand the raw data. Middlemen are valuable to the extent either that they are knowledgeable about a topic, or have the resources to consult someone knowledgeable.
    - none4methx 2y ago
      We can’t get the information from the source unless we know it’s there. That’s the service an algorithm will invisibly produce for us even after we murder the last logo between us and The News
- unethical_ban 2y ago
  There is a lot more information and background for the layperson in the NYT article. But free sources should also be included for those without a subscription.
- photochemsyn 2y ago
  (2024) "Pharmacology and Mechanism of Action of Suzetrigine, a Potent and Selective NaV1.8 Pain Signal Inhibitor for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Pain" (pdf) https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40122-024-00697-0.pdf https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40122-024-006...
- eviks 2y ago
  There is at least one: in its quest to promote the agency they forgot to list the most basic issue that makes this approval noteworthy - addiction. Also there is no price and a bunch of other relevant info
luafox 2y ago
Super exciting development in the world of medicine, but the price tag is really steep. Starting at US$15.50 per pill, and you're supposed to take two pills at a time. Many will opt for cheaper options. Disclaimer: I'm Canadian with extended insurance, so I have little perspective on drug prices.
- unethical_ban 2y ago
  If it means staying away from addiction, I'll pay it. Opiods would scare me if I ever needed that level of pain treatment.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
  - codr7 2y ago
    They should, synthethic opioids are VERY enjoyable, VERY risky and SUPER addictive. I was on Oxy 24/7 for a month following surgery, went through hell.
    - kstrauser 2y ago
      I count myself as very, very lucky that opioids don’t do that for me at all. I’ve had strong prescriptions for various short-term needs over the years and they just make me a little sleepy. They don’t feel pleasant in any way, in the same way that Motrin doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling either.
- ArlenBales 2y ago
  This is to treat acute pain, probably mostly post-op as alternative to opioids. At most you'll probably get a week's worth of pills from your doc post-op, and I would say the cost is worth it if it works better than NSAIDs and it's not addictive.
  - zamadatix 2y ago
    Can this be taken alongside NSAIDs? If so it might not even need to be that great to still be worthwhile for that first week after an operation.
montroser 2y ago
This sounds fantastic. It is also worth remembering they also told us oxycodone was non habit forming. But hey, let's be cautiously optimistic.
- loloquwowndueo 2y ago
  Hey originally they said cocaine was not addictive :)
el_duderino 2y ago
https://archive.is/SIV8R https://archive.is/SIV8R
rufus_foreman 2y ago
>> drug to treat pain without opioid effects From my brief experience with junkies, they will treat this as a challenge.
bustling-noose 2y ago
How does one give someone a placebo after surgery for clinical trials ? Wouldn’t that cause a lot of pain ? I know science and research and trials and all etc etc, but pain post surgery is quite a lot that placebo alone would be really bad for the patient.
- jjeaff 2y ago
  one would assume that it was tested on minor surgeries.
instagib 2y ago
>>suzetrigine helped those with diabetic neuropathy, but was no better than placebo in those with pinched spinal nerves. (…) While analysts and researchers deemed the results disappointing in patients with pinched nerves in their spines, the company decided to proceed because there are no approved drugs for the painful condition, and because the drug is safe and “the mechanism of action is so clearly validated.” “No one has ever helped these four million people,” he said. << Aside from routinely burning the nerves, routine epidural injections, narcotics, or alcohol. Extremely limited relief from expensive acupuncture, massage, TENS, stretching, etc.
oliwarner 2y ago
Note that there is a fairly long list of CYP3A4 inhibitors that this is contraindicated against. I know nothing is, but this won't be for everyone.

53 points by remh 2y ago

There's no reason for this to be a NYT link. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-novel-non-opioid-treatment-moderate-severe-acute-pain https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-appr...

dewitt 2y ago
> "There's no reason for this to be a NYT link." I respectfully disagree. The NYT paid the author, Gina Kolata, to research and write the story, which contains more details than just the press release alone, then used their platform to made the news widely available and thus helped people like me discover it. As cynical as one may be about the state of contemporary journalism, I'd say that short articles like this are still something good that comes out of newspapers in 2025, and I hope it doesn't go away just yet.
- giarc 2y ago
  For those without a NYT subscription, a link to the press release is handy.
  - owlninja 2y ago
    Here is a free link for anyone: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/health/fda-journavx-suzetrigine-vertex-opioids.html?unlocked_article_code=1.tU4.zCNQ.TmFmqo16N5p6&smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/health/fda-journavx-suzet...
- whamlastxmas 2y ago
  Journalism on science and medicine gets more things wrong than right.
- benrapscallion 2y ago
  Given how late in the article it is mentioned that the drug was indistinguishable from placebo, this NYT article may well have been commissioned by Vertex. [1] https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/pain-comes-territory https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/pain-comes-territo...
  - cbhl 2y ago
    My impression is that the "indistinguishable from placebo" is only in reference to a study on people with Sciatica, but that a different study did show a statistically-significant effect on post-surgical pain. $465 USD for a 15-day supply definitely pricey -- but options for people who weren't well-served by Purdue Pharma / OxyContin seem good, especially if the mechanism of action is different.
  - exabrial 2y ago
    > Side effects of suzetrigine reported by patients were similar to the ones reported by those taking the placebo If this is what you're referring to, note the article is talking about the side effects. Not trying to say I'm for/against the drug, just wanted to point a possible incorrect conclusion.
- Dalewyn 2y ago
  Middlemen like town criers and nowadays "journalists" were useful when distributing information en masse quickly was a tremendous if not next to impossible logistical challenge. Today when anyone can get information straight from the source instantly, we do not need these middlemen. There is no reason for this to be an NYT link, nor any other middleman link. The less players there are in the game of telephone the more accurate the information will be.
  - thomassmith65 2y ago
    Many news stories require domain expertise to understand. If there's a news item involving Brazilian law, or a new Aluminum alloy, or a newly identified virus, then I likely wouldn't understand the raw data. Middlemen are valuable to the extent either that they are knowledgeable about a topic, or have the resources to consult someone knowledgeable.
  - none4methx 2y ago
    We can’t get the information from the source unless we know it’s there. That’s the service an algorithm will invisibly produce for us even after we murder the last logo between us and The News
unethical_ban 2y ago
There is a lot more information and background for the layperson in the NYT article. But free sources should also be included for those without a subscription.
photochemsyn 2y ago
(2024) "Pharmacology and Mechanism of Action of Suzetrigine, a Potent and Selective NaV1.8 Pain Signal Inhibitor for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Pain" (pdf) https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40122-024-00697-0.pdf https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40122-024-006...
eviks 2y ago
There is at least one: in its quest to promote the agency they forgot to list the most basic issue that makes this approval noteworthy - addiction. Also there is no price and a bunch of other relevant info

luafox 2y ago

Super exciting development in the world of medicine, but the price tag is really steep. Starting at US$15.50 per pill, and you're supposed to take two pills at a time. Many will opt for cheaper options. Disclaimer: I'm Canadian with extended insurance, so I have little perspective on drug prices.

unethical_ban 2y ago
If it means staying away from addiction, I'll pay it. Opiods would scare me if I ever needed that level of pain treatment.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- codr7 2y ago
  They should, synthethic opioids are VERY enjoyable, VERY risky and SUPER addictive. I was on Oxy 24/7 for a month following surgery, went through hell.
  - kstrauser 2y ago
    I count myself as very, very lucky that opioids don’t do that for me at all. I’ve had strong prescriptions for various short-term needs over the years and they just make me a little sleepy. They don’t feel pleasant in any way, in the same way that Motrin doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling either.
ArlenBales 2y ago
This is to treat acute pain, probably mostly post-op as alternative to opioids. At most you'll probably get a week's worth of pills from your doc post-op, and I would say the cost is worth it if it works better than NSAIDs and it's not addictive.
- zamadatix 2y ago
  Can this be taken alongside NSAIDs? If so it might not even need to be that great to still be worthwhile for that first week after an operation.

montroser 2y ago

This sounds fantastic. It is also worth remembering they also told us oxycodone was non habit forming. But hey, let's be cautiously optimistic.

loloquwowndueo 2y ago
Hey originally they said cocaine was not addictive :)

el_duderino 2y ago

https://archive.is/SIV8R https://archive.is/SIV8R

rufus_foreman 2y ago

>> drug to treat pain without opioid effects From my brief experience with junkies, they will treat this as a challenge.

bustling-noose 2y ago

How does one give someone a placebo after surgery for clinical trials ? Wouldn’t that cause a lot of pain ? I know science and research and trials and all etc etc, but pain post surgery is quite a lot that placebo alone would be really bad for the patient.

jjeaff 2y ago
one would assume that it was tested on minor surgeries.

instagib 2y ago

>>suzetrigine helped those with diabetic neuropathy, but was no better than placebo in those with pinched spinal nerves. (…) While analysts and researchers deemed the results disappointing in patients with pinched nerves in their spines, the company decided to proceed because there are no approved drugs for the painful condition, and because the drug is safe and “the mechanism of action is so clearly validated.” “No one has ever helped these four million people,” he said. << Aside from routinely burning the nerves, routine epidural injections, narcotics, or alcohol. Extremely limited relief from expensive acupuncture, massage, TENS, stretching, etc.

oliwarner 2y ago

Note that there is a fairly long list of CYP3A4 inhibitors that this is contraindicated against. I know nothing is, but this won't be for everyone.