Vertex Drops Next-Generation Pain Drug After Phase 2 Failure, Casts Doubt on Broader Journavx Expansion
Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced after its Q2 2025 earnings that its investigational pain drug VX-993 failed to outperform placebo at all dose levels in a phase 2 trial for acute pain, leading the company to abandon further development of the drug as a monotherapy for this indication234.
VX-993, a next-generation oral Nav1.8 sodium channel inhibitor, was studied in 367 patients after bunionectomy surgery, testing three oral dose levels, but showed no improvement in pain intensity over 48 hours compared to placebo23.
The safety profile of VX-993 was similar to placebo, with most common adverse events including nausea, dizziness, headache, and vomiting2.
Journavx (suzetrigine), Vertex’s first-in-class NaV1.8 inhibitor, was approved for moderate to severe acute pain in adults in January 2025 and was intended as the starting point for iterative innovation; however, the VX-993 failure undermines Vertex’s strategy to improve upon Journavx’s efficacy14.
Concurrent with the VX-993 news, Vertex said the FDA does not see a path to expand Journavx’s approval to a broad peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) indication, halting plans for a phase 3 trial in sciatica (lumbosacral radiculopathy)134.
Vertex will now focus on developing Journavx for diabetic peripheral neuropathy with ongoing phase 2 studies, but progress toward broadening the label for neuropathic pain remains uncertain3.
These combined setbacks sent Vertex shares down by 13% following the earnings announcement4.
Sources:
1. https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/vertex-pain-neuropathic-delay-vx-993-negative-trial/756753/
2. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/vertex-drops-journavx-follower-acute-pain-after-complete-phase-2-failure
3. https://medcitynews.com/2025/08/vertex-pharmaceuticals-non-opioid-pain-drug-bunionectomy-peripheral-neuropathy-vx-993-nav1-8-vrtx/
4. https://www.biospace.com/business/trial-failure-of-vertexs-next-gen-pain-drug-mars-strong-q2-earnings