Suzetrigine: A Promising Alternative for Pain Management?

Pain is a health condition defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. It can vary widely in intensity, quality, duration, and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, leading to various forms of classification.

In terms of duration, pain can be classified as acute or chronic. Acute pain is short-term, typically related to injury or medical procedures, and usually resolves within 3 to 6 months. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is long-lasting, either continuous or intermittent, persisting beyond the expected time for tissue healing, and is often associated with psychological and pathological factors.

Pain management has long been a challenge for healthcare systems worldwide due to its significant impact on patients' quality of life and the costs involved in its treatment. In the search for innovative and therapeutic alternatives, in January 2025, the FDA approved suzetrigine for the treatment of acute pain. Suzetrigine works through a mechanism different from conventional analgesics by selectively inhibiting NaV1.8 sodium channels, which are responsible for transmitting pain signals.

This article reviews the available evidence on suzetrigine, including its pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties, clinical trial results on efficacy and safety, and recommendations for its rational use.