Vertex Pharmaceuticals ( VRTX) has long been known as the company to turn to for life-saving cystic fibrosis (CF) drugs, and this platform has helped it generate billions of dollars in earnings. But Vertex now is showing that it also can be a game changer when it comes to treating one of the most common of health problems -- pain.

The greenlight for Journavx (suzetrigine), which comes on the heels of a $7.4 billion opioid settlement, could spark momentum in the fledgling non-opioid pain space.

Vertex has gained the FDA's approval for its nonaddictive pain med Journavx, which becomes the first significant innovation in pain relief in more than two decades.