Vertex reports data showing opioid-free recovery with Journavx for most patients after plastic surgery

New phase 4 data from Vertex Pharmaceuticals revealed that more than 90% of patients recovering from aesthetic or reconstructive surgery remained opioid-free when treated with Journavx (suzetrigine) as part of multimodal pain management.

The findings come from an open-label, multicenter phase 4 clinical trial evaluating the non-opioid therapy for adults experiencing moderate-to-severe acute postoperative pain after plastic surgery procedures.

The company said in a news release shared March 5, 2026, 90.9% of patients in the study did not require rescue opioids through the end of treatment, which lasted up to 14 days. Results from the trial will be presented at the American Academy of Pain Medicine PainConnect 2026 meeting, held March 5-8 in Salt Lake City. Vertex said additional details about the study are expected to be shared during the conference presentations.

Journavx is an oral, non-opioid pain signal inhibitor that targets the NaV1.8 sodium channel, which plays a role in transmitting pain signals in peripheral sensory neurons. Due to the drug reacting in the peripheral nervous system rather than the brain, it’s designed to provide pain relief without the addictive potential associated with opioid therapies, according to the company.

The FDA approved the therapy in January 2025 for adults with moderate-to-severe short-term acute pain, including postoperative pain.

The design of the phase 4 trial provides additional insight into how the drug is being studied in postoperative settings. Researchers evaluated suzetrigine as part of multimodal therapy for postoperative pain following aesthetic or reconstructive surgeries.

Approximately 100 adult participants, with 99 receiving treatments, were enrolled in March 2025 and overall completion occurred in October 2025.

Researchers used a single-arm, open-label design with no masking. Participants received Journavx both before and after surgery as part of multimodal pain management, most commonly in combination with acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

The surgeries included procedures typically associated with moderate-to-severe postoperative pain and commonly treated with opioid medications for at least 72 hours. These procedures included reconstructive and aesthetic breast surgeries, liposuction or abdominoplasty with liposuction and turbinoplasty.

The study’s primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who rated their pain management as excellent, very good or good on the Patient Global Assessment scale at the end of treatment.

According to the company’s release, 90.7% of patients met that endpoint, indicating high patient-reported effectiveness when the drug was used as part of multimodal therapy. The results also highlight the study’s findings related to opioid use after surgery.

Researchers reported that 90.9% of patients required no rescue opioids after surgery through the end of treatment. Among the nine patients who did receive rescue opioids, the average use was approximately two tablets over two days.

Vertex said previously published data shows opioid-free rates of less than 10% for multimodal therapy approaches that do not include Journavx, suggesting the drug may help reduce opioid exposure after certain surgeries.

“As a surgeon, effective pain management is a cornerstone of patient recovery, and the data from this study highlight the potential of JOURNAVX in enabling opioid-free recovery for patients across a broad range of surgeries,” Samuel Lin, M.D., director of aesthetic surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the study’s lead author, said in the release.

Safety and cost considerations may also shape how the therapy is used in practice.

The therapy was generally safe and well-tolerated in the study, according to the company. No serious adverse events related to Journavx were reported, and adverse events were mild or moderate in severity and consistent with typical postoperative recovery.

Cost and coverage could still influence uptake in the acute pain market. According to GoodRx, the manufacturer’s list price for Journavx is about $15.50 per tablet. A typical two-week course may exceed $400 without insurance, though prices can vary by pharmacy and payer coverage.

Vertex offers savings programs that may lower out-of-pocket costs for some patients with commercial or government-sponsored insurance.

Additional results from the phase 4 study are expected to be presented during the conference sessions this weekend, which could provide more detailed insight into the drug’s performance in real-world surgical settings.