Advances in the development of Nav1.8-targeted analgesics

The voltage-gated sodium channel isoform Nav1.8 is predominantly distributed in peripheral injurious sensory neurons and plays a key regulatory role in the development and maintenance of acute and chronic pain and neuropathic pain. In January 2025, suzetrigine, the first analgesic drug targeting Nav1.8, was approved for marketing in the United States FDA, marking a major breakthrough in the development of Nav1.8-targeted pain therapeutics. The successful development of the first analgesic for Nav1.8 has led to a global interest in the development of Nav1.8 analgesic inhibitors. This article reviews the structure, physiological function, and drug development of Nav1.8. We focus on summarizing the electrophysiological properties of Nav1.8, its role in pain, and the clinical studies of selective inhibitors, aiming to provide a reference for the development of Nav1.8 analgesics.