Prevalence of Halogens in 2025 FDA-Approved Drugs: Highlight on Suzetrigine, the First Non-opioid Painkiller in Decades
Abstract
Halogens are widely recognized as privileged functionalities for modulating the biological and physicochemical properties of small molecule drugs and have firmly established their place in the medicinal chemist's toolbox.A survey of the literature reveals that about 25% of FDA-approved small molecule drugs possess at least one halogen atom, underscoring their importance in drug discovery and development.1,2 This trend has continued in recent years: among drugs approved in 2024, 32% contain halogens, with fluorine or fluorinated groups being the most prevalent, followed by chlorine and bromine.In 2025, the FDA approved a total of 46 drugs, comprising 16 macromolecules and 30 small molecules.Notably, 16 of these 30 small molecule drugs incorporate halogens, further highlighting their pivotal role in modern drug discovery and development.The primary objective of this editorial is to provide a concise overview of the role of halogens in pharmaceutical research and their impact on drug properties.Moreover, it highlights halogenated drugs approved by the FDA in 2025, with a particular emphasis on suzetrigine, the first non-opioid painkiller approved in decades.
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