Positive Mid-Stage Results: Vertex's Non-Opioid Medication Effectively Reduces Chronic Nerve Pain
January 06, 2024
On Wednesday, Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced promising results from a mid-stage study, indicating that their experimental drug, VX-548, effectively alleviated chronic nerve pain in individuals with diabetes. The drug, administered in pill form, is designed to precisely inhibit pain-sensing neurons, aiming to mitigate pain without the addictive qualities associated with opioids. The Phase 2 study involved 192 participants with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, each having experienced the condition for a minimum of one year.
The study administered three different doses of VX-548, revealing reductions in average pain intensity by 2.26, 2.11, and 2.18 points, respectively, as measured on an 11-point pain ratings scale. These results, observed at the 12-week mark, demonstrated statistical significance compared to baseline pain scores.
CREDITS: STAT NEWS