Vertex: NaV1.8 Inhibitor Advancing to Phase 2 Clinical

  Proof-of-concept studies of VX-548 in acute pain to initiate in the second half of the year -

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that it will advance the selective NaV1.8 inhibitor, VX-548, into Phase 2 clinical development with clinical trials in patients with both visceral and non-visceral types of acute pain. The decision to move to Phase 2 was based on supportive Phase 1 data in healthy volunteers, including safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK). In these studies, the molecule exhibited a favorable profile at doses considerably lower than those required with our previous NaV1.8 inhibitors.

NaV1.8 is a voltage-gated sodium channel that plays a critical role in pain signaling in the peripheral nervous system. NaV1.8 is genetically validated as a novel target for the treatment of pain, and Vertex has previously demonstrated clinical proof-of-concept with a small molecule investigational treatment targeting NaV1.8 in multiple pain indications including acute pain, neuropathic pain and musculoskeletal pain.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vertex-announces-nav1-8-inhibitor-112900041.html