Novel Pharmaceutical Therapies May Be Emerging For Chronic Pain

A sodium channel blocker that may offer a non addictive alternative to opioid painkillers is in a phase 2 study.

Vertex Pharma reported in February, that a study involving 243 patients showed promise. The study randomly assigned patients to 3 treatment groups. Those who received VX-150 (a sodium channel blocking agent), those who received hydrocodone plus acetaminophen, and those who received a placebo (a substance with no pain relieving properties).

The patients received treatment for two days following bunionectomy surgery.  The sodium channel blocking substance outperformed the placebo in alleviating pain at both 24 and 48 hours post surgery.

The VX-150 compound seemed to perform as well as the hydrocodone and acetaminophen group. Although the study was not statistically powered to make a direct comparison.

Of note, VX-150 was reportedly generally well tolerated, with no serious adverse events, and no discontinuation due to adverse events.

VX-150 has also apparently shown promise in a phase 2 trial involving patients with chronic osteoarthritis pain. The potential pharmaceutical is currently being studied for nerve related pain. Ref: Volume 53, Number 8, April 2018; Psychiatric News