Vertex Pharmaceuticals has spent decades trying to develop molecules that reduce pain safely and potently, searching for success in a field its own executives have dubbed a graveyard for drug discovery. Detailed data published Wednesday lent support to that quest, with a pair of company-sponsored clinical trials showing an experimental non-opioid therapy reduced pain after surgery.
The drug, VX-548, blocks signals from pain-sensitive neurons before those electrical messages reach the brain. And in a pair of randomized trials, patients given a high dose of the oral medication after bunion surgery or abdominoplasty (a tummy tuck) reported less pain than those given a placebo. Those taking lower doses of the treatment showed no improvement compared to the placebo group, however.
advertisement
While the pain reduction measured by these Phase 2 trials was statistically significant, it’s unclear how meaningful the drug’s benefits were to patients, with a commentary accompanying the study describing the treatment effect as “small.” But the study authors noted that participants on a high dose of VX-548 were less likely to prematurely stop their treatment because it wasn’t working than those on placebo or participants given a combination of two common painkillers, acetaminophen and hydrocodone.
Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT+ and enjoy your first 30 days free!
GET STARTED Log In
Previous article：
How to make the FDA’s new prescription one
Next article： FDA approval of Sarepta Duchenne genetic therapy gives me hope
Next article： FDA approval of Sarepta Duchenne genetic therapy gives me hope
