"Non-Opioid Experimental Drug Successfully Relieves Pain in Late-Stage Trials"

Vertex Pharmaceuticals' experimental non-opioid painkiller, VX-548, successfully reduced acute, post-surgical pain without the risk of addiction in late-stage trials, although it did not outperform a combination of opioid drugs. The drug, which aims to block pain signals at their source, is expected to be submitted for U.S. approval by mid-2024 and could potentially generate over $5 billion in annual sales. Analysts view this as a significant advancement in providing a much-needed alternative to addictive opioid painkillers amidst a national crisis.