Suzetrigine Side Effects
Earlier this year the FDA approved the medication Journavx, also known by its generic name suzetrigine, as the first non opioid pain medication to be approved in more than 20 years. It is the first of its kind painkiller to hit the market in over two decades and researchers say it can be a vital alternative to highly addictive opioid pain medications. The new drug claims to be effective in treating acute pain without the risky side effects that opioids carry. Are there suzetrigine side effects? How do they compare to opioid side effects? Can this new drug be a safer alternative to traditional pain medication?
Pain medication has helped millions of people with short and long-term chronic pain every day. About 1 in 5 Americans suffer from some form of chronic pain. However, the cost of treating pain in the US is very high. Medication can be expensive and on top of that, some medications can become addictive and cause a set of other physical, behavioral and psychological issues.
Suzetrigine has been shown to work just as well as hydrocodone in treating pain after surgery. This new pain medication could lead the way in the development of other non opioid pain killers.
What is Suzetrigine?
The FDA approved the non opioid pain medication in January of 2025. The manufacturer of suzetrigine, or brand name Journavx, is Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Prior to this new medication, opioid painkillers and over-the-counter NSAIDS and acetaminophen were the only medications available for pain relief.
The medication is FDA-approved for short-term use in treating moderate to severe acute pain. Acute pain is defined as pain lasting less than 3 months, such as pain after surgery or pain after trauma. The medication would be primarily used in a hospital setting.
It comes in an oral pill where patients would take two pills for the first initial dose, then 1 pill every 12 hours to treat pain. Suzetrigine is not approved to treat long-term chronic pain.
How does it work?
So how does suzetrigine work? How is it different from other pain medications? Suzetrigine works by blocking the pain signals from the source of the pain. It blocks the signals from its origin in the peripheral nervous system before it has a chance to reach the brain. The drug is not known to increase dopamine levels, therefore resulting in a lower risk of dependency compared to traditional opioid medications.
When you get injured, pain-sensing nerve cells in the area of the injury respond by producing nerve impulses that are sent out as signals. Molecules called sodium channels produce the nerve impulses. Sodium channels are found in the membrane of nerve cells. These nerve impulses then create an electrical current that carries the pain signals to the brain
With sodium channel blockers like suzetrigine, they prevent the nerve cells from sending pain messages to the brain, which can help reduce or eliminate feelings of pain. Suzetrigine blocks specific channels called NaV1.8. These sodium channels are only in the peripheral nerves, which are nerves outside the spinal cord and brain. Blocking the signaling of these channels stops the pain source and prevents pain signals from reaching the brain.
With traditional opioid medications, the opioids attach to specific receptors in specific areas of the body including the brain. When this happens, it can not only block pain signals, but it can also elicit pleasurable feelings. This can lead to tolerance, dependence and addiction to opioid medications.
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Suzetrigine Side Effects
- Skin rash and itchiness – typical and mild and will usually go away after the medication use has stopped.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sleepiness
- Heart rhythm changes
- Muscle spasms – muscle spasms or cramping can feel like sudden tightening or twitching in the arms and legs.
- Changes in creatine phosphokinase enzyme levels – a blood enzyme which is normally found in the heart and brain and is involved with overall energy production. If levels of this enzyme are elevated, it can also trigger a sign of muscle injury or inflammation.
- Decreased glomerular filtration rate – a test that shows how well your kidneys are able to filter out waste products.
The Drawbacks to Suzetrigine
With the approval of this new drug, the medical community is optimistic that Journavx could be a safer alternative to opioids. This is because it doesn’t have the same addictive potential as traditional opioid pain medications. Currently, the medication is only approved to treat short-term pain. It has not been approved or been studied in treating chronic or long-term pain conditions.
The price of the medication is one of the biggest hurdles to the wider use of the drug. The US pain and therapeutic market reached an estimated $17.2 billion in 2023. It is expected to continue rising to as much as $26.5 billion by 2034. Journavx costs an estimated $15 per pill. One single 50mg pill is $15.50. This would make it about $31 for the initial dose of the medication. Compared to opioid medications, which cost about $1 or $2 per pill, it is a pricey drug.
Because the medication is so new, not many insurance policies will cover the medication. Only about 38% of people have insurance coverage for Journavx. Not everyone has access to this new medication due to its limited insurance coverage.
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The newly approved drug for acute pain treatment could set the standard for new pain medications moving forward. Researchers and medical professionals ideally look for a medication that works as well as opioids without the negative effects of opioids. Non opioid medications like suzetrigine were created to address the opioid addiction crisis. Now it has become more and more important to find effective non opioid pain management strategies as the opioid epidemic continues.
Hotel California by the Sea provides treatment for those who are struggling with substance abuse such as an addiction to opioid pain medication. We offer treatment at all levels of care including detox, residential, PHP and IOP. We utilize evidence-based treatment methods such as CBT, DBT and family therapy. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping clients reach their goals of sobriety and overcome their addiction.
References:
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/new-non-opioid-pain-pill
https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/pain/opioid-alternatives
https://www.drugs.com/sfx/suzetrigine-side-effects.html
https://www.goodrx.com/journavx/journavx-side-effects
https://www.uchealth.org/today/journavx-long-awaited-non-opioid-treatment-for-acute-pain-hits-market/