Suzetrigine: A New Nonopioid Pain Relief Option for Surgery Recovery

A New Class of Pain Medication

In January 2025, the FDA approved suzetrigine, the first medication in a brand-new class of oral nonopioid analgesics. Suzetrigine works by selectively blocking the Nav1.8 sodium channel, which is found in nerve cells that transmit pain signals to the spinal cord. By interrupting this pathway, the drug can reduce the sensation of pain without acting on the brain’s opioid receptors—helping avoid many of the risks associated with opioids.

The Clinical Trials

Suzetrigine has been studied in large, phase three trials involving more than 2,000 patients who underwent either abdominoplasty (a soft-tissue surgery) or bunionectomy (a bone-related surgery). Both procedures are commonly used in drug research as models for different types of pain.

• Dosing regimen: Patients received 100 mg orally at the start, followed by 50 mg every 12 hours for 48 hours.

• Abdominoplasty trial (1118 patients): Suzetrigine significantly reduced pain compared to placebo, and its performance was statistically similar to hydrocodone/acetaminophen (5/325 mg every six hours).

• Bunionectomy trial (1073 patients): Suzetrigine again outperformed placebo, but in this case provided less pain relief than hydrocodone/acetaminophen at the studied dosing schedule.
  

The main outcome measure, called SPID48 (summed pain intensity difference over 48 hours), confirmed that suzetrigine was effective compared with placebo in both trials.

Side Effects and Tolerability

Common side effects reported across all groups included:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Constipation

• Headache

• Dizziness
  

Encouragingly, nausea and vomiting were less frequent with suzetrigine than with hydrocodone/acetaminophen, and no serious drug-related adverse effects were reported in the phase two or three studies.

What This Means for Patients

Suzetrigine may become an important new tool for doctors and patients seeking alternatives to opioids for short-term pain after surgery. By targeting pain pathways differently, it could help reduce the reliance on opioid prescriptions while still delivering meaningful relief.

That said, there are still important questions to answer. In the trials, hydrocodone/acetaminophen was given less often than is typical in real-world practice, raising the possibility that suzetrigine may provide less relief than standard opioid dosing. More research is needed to determine how well suzetrigine performs across different surgeries and acute pain conditions, as well as its impact on opioid use, quality of recovery, and longer-term outcomes.

Bottom Line

Suzetrigine is the first FDA-approved oral Nav1.8 inhibitor and represents a major step forward in the search for nonopioid pain relief. For patients recovering from surgery, it offers a promising alternative that balances effective pain control with a potentially lower risk of side effects and dependency. While further studies are needed, this drug could play an important role in reshaping how we manage acute pain in the years ahead.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Suzetrigine is a newly approved medication, and its role in pain management continues to be studied. Patients should consult with a licensed healthcare professional before making decisions about surgery recovery or pain treatment options.