The drug, suzetrigine, made by Boston-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals and to be sold as Journavx, works only on nerves outside the brain, blocking pain signals. It cannot get into the brain. The post FDA approves drug from Boston-based company to treat pain without opioid effects appeared first on Boston.

Each year, about 125 million opioid prescriptions are written for Americans with pain caused by broken bones, burns, surgeries, and other injuries and procedures.

The drug represents a new pathway to treating people with pain due to surgeries or traumatic injuries, avoiding the addictive risks of opioids.