NaV1.8 Inhibitors
1 drugsAbout NaV1.8
NaV1.8 is a voltage-gated sodium channel crucial for generating electrical signals in neurons, particularly nociceptors. It mediates the rapid influx of sodium ions across cell membranes, essential for pain signal transmission.
NaV1.8 is a target for pain therapeutics; however, there is currently no genetic evidence linking it to specific pain conditions, representing an area for further research.
JOURNAVX (Vertex Pharmaceuticals) is the only FDA-approved drug targeting NaV1.8, a small molecule approved in 2025 for pain indications.
Top NaV1.8 Drugs
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is the only company with an approved NaV1.8-targeting drug.
The lack of competitors suggests high barriers to entry or untapped potential in this space.
NaV1.8 Drug Modality Landscape
Modalities
Routes of Administration
Only one approved drug targets NaV1.8, using small molecule modality.
Exploring alternative modalities like antibodies or peptides could provide a competitive advantage.
NaV1.8 Clinical Trials 43 trials
Phase 1-4 trials started in 2008 or later that test an FDA-approved drug acting on NaV1.8. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. How we count
Completion by Phase
| Phase | Total | Completed | Stopped | Active | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Phase 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Phase 3 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 100% |
| Phase 4 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 100% |
Top Sponsors
By Modality
Top Conditions
Top Drugs
Phase 3 Readout Calendar Pro
3 Phase 3 trials testing approved NaV1.8 drugs across all sponsors.
Coverage: trials whose intervention is an approved drug targeting NaV1.8. Pre-approval candidates with development codes (e.g. AZD0901, MK-7240) are not yet linked. Anchored on CT.gov primary completion date.
NaV1.8 Drug Approval Timeline (2025 - 2025)
The first and only drug, JOURNAVX, was approved in 2025.
The recent approval suggests a growing interest in NaV1.8 as a therapeutic target.
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Competitive Landscape
- • 1 companies competing
- • Market share by company
Full Drug Portfolio
- • All 1 approved drugs
- • Approval dates & indications
Genetic Validation
- • Full genetic evidence table
- • Effect sizes & directions
Approval Timeline
- • Full 1-drug timeline
- • First-of-modality markers
Clinical Trials Analysis
- • Sponsors: 27 (2 companies)
- • Completion rates by condition
Full summary • All drugs • Genetic evidence • Trials • Timeline
How We Count Trials
- Trials: phase 1-4 interventional trials on ClinicalTrials.gov that started in 2008 or later and test an FDA-approved drug acting on NaV1.8. A trial counts if an approved drug acting on NaV1.8 is in any arm, including as a comparator, and a trial that tests two such drugs counts once. Trials that test only unapproved drugs are not counted. A trial listed as phase 1/2 counts as phase 1, and phase 2/3 as phase 2.
- Active: recruiting, not yet recruiting, enrolling by invitation, or active and no longer recruiting.
- Completion rate: of the trials that have ended, the share marked Completed rather than Terminated or Withdrawn. Completed means the trial ended as planned; it does not mean the drug worked. Suspended trials are not counted as ended.
- Stopped: terminated or withdrawn. Trials stop for many reasons, including slow enrolment and business decisions, not only safety or efficacy.
- Sponsors: the lead sponsor of each trial. Companies are the sponsors ClinicalTrials.gov classes as industry; the rest are universities, hospitals, cooperative groups, government bodies and individuals.