Gefapixant

It has been estimated that 5-10% of adults globally suffer from chronic cough, which is defined as a cough lasting longer than eight weeks. A subset of these patients remain symptomatic despite thorough investigation and treatment, termed refractory chronic cough (RCC) if they have a cough that does not respond to conventional treatment or unexplained chronic cough (UCC) when no diagnosable cause for the cough can be determined. Existing treatments for chronic cough have been associated with considerable side effects, in particular opioids such as codeine or dextromethorphan.

Gefapixant is a novel antagonist of the P2X3 receptor that works to reduce the cough reflex in patients with chronic cough. It received approval in both Japan and Switzerland in 2022 for the treatment of adult patients with RCC and UCC, and received subsequent approval in the EU in September 2023 for the same indications. It is the first therapy to be approved for the treatment of RCC or UCC in the EU.