Breakthrough non-opioid pain medication aces trials, eyes FDA approval

An experimental drug that could alleviate moderate to severe pain, without the risk of addiction that opioids like OxyContin or Vicodin cause, has succeeded in late-stage clinical trials, said its maker Vertex Pharmaceuticals this week.

The breakthrough drug, VX-548, works exclusively on peripheral nerves outside the brain and spinal cord and is intended to be a potential alternative to opioid pain medication.

Vertex plans to file for FDA approval of the drug by mid-2024. Analysts estimate potential annual sales of over $5 billion if approved.

The drug could benefit roughly 80 million patients who are prescribed pain medication every year in the US, according to Vertex.

Over two decades, the opioid crisis has been responsible for over 70,000 annual fatal overdoses.