Researchers have long sought potent, but non-addictive, painkillers as alternatives to opioids.Credit: GettyWhen Terp Vairin awoke from a 2023 surgery that straightened a bend in her nasal passage, she felt like she’d taken a hard punch to the nose. As the anaesthetic wore off, she called out for something to ease the pain and was pleasantly surprised. The drug she received — a new kind of analgesic administered as part of a clinical trial — eased her discomfort without the grogginess or nausea ...