In the first new preventative therapy in 20 years, a new drug, called Erenumab, appears to cut in half the number of days lost to migraine for many patients, a breakthrough which charities said marked ‘the start of a real change’ for sufferers.
The once-a-month injection, which can be delivered at home, blocks brain molecules linked to migraine, the study said.
Dr Peter Goadsby, Professor of Neurology at King’s College London, who led the Phase III clinical trial, said: “It clearly shows that blocking this pathway can reduce the impact of migraine.
“The results represent a real transition for migraine patients from poorly understood, repurposed treatments, to a specific migraine-designed therapy,” he explained.
“It represents an incredibly important step forward for migraine understanding and migraine treatment.”
The latest trial involved 955 patients who received a monthly injection of the drug, or placebo, over 24 weeks.
On average patients injected with Erenumab experienced three fewer migraine days each month compared to their usual average of eight days. For 50 per cent of patients their number of attacks was cut in half.
Patients treated with the drug also reported improved physical health and ability to participate in daily activities over the six month trial period as well.
Migraine usually involves severe head pain and often brings symptoms including nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light or sound.
The World Health Organization rates migraine as one of the top 10 causes of disability.
The NHS recommends darkness, or taking over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
Sufferers may also be prescribed triptans which halt discomfort by relieving swelling and narrowing blood vessels or beta blockers such as propranolol as a preventative measure, but they can leave patients feeling fatigued and are not always effective.
Yet there are currently no drugs to specifically prevent migraine from happening.
The new treatment is an antibody designed to block the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor in the brain, which plays a crucial role in sparking a migraine.
CGRP is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, which instructs the brain to activate sensory nerves in the head and neck.
Previous research found that CGRP is present in unusually high levels during a migraine attack, which is thought to cause overstimulation.
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