The FDA has approved a new painkiller, Journavx, marking a significant milestone in pain management. The medication is designed for adults with moderate to severe pain and works by blocking pain signals in the nerves, rather than affecting the brain or its reward pathways.
This breakthrough comes as millions of Americans struggle with acute and chronic pain, many of whom are prescribed opioids that can be effective but also carry a risk of abuse and addiction. Journavx’s unique mechanism of action provides relief without the addictive qualities of opioids.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ Journavx has been shown to work as effectively as opioid-based products in clinical trials and also demonstrated efficacy for chronic pain. The company plans to seek expanded use for this application. However, it remains uncertain whether insurers will cover Journavx due to recent policy changes affecting reimbursement.
Vertex is optimistic about the potential for Journavx, citing positive feedback from commercial payers and signals from Washington that policymakers are working to “level the playing field” for new treatments like Journavx.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/02/03/fda-approves-vertex-non-opioid-pain-drug