Targeting Na_v1.8 with the nonopioid antagonist suzetrigine for analgesia: cause for optimism?

The opioid crisis has prompted an urgent search for nonopioid analgesics for both acute and chronic pain. Among these, sodium channel antagonists, particularly those targeting Na_v1.7 and Na_v1.8, have emerged as potential pain management solutions. Recent large trials have shown some efficacy of the new Na_v1.8 allosteric inhibitor suzetrigine in acute postoperative pain, and ongoing studies are investigating its potential for painful diabetic neuropathy. If efficacy is confirmed, this type of drug might fill a significant gap in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, offering a safer alternative to opioids and marking the advent of a new class of nonopioid analgesics.