Anti-CGRP agent delivered durable episodic migraine prevention

At 52 weeks, the patients as a whole were having about 5 fewer migraine days each month, compared with baseline. Overall, 62.3% of patients had achieved a reduction of at least 50% in monthly migraine days; 38.4%, a reduction of at least 75%; and 18.5%, a reduction of 100%.

The pattern was similar when it came to monthly migraine-specific medication days, monthly headache days, and monthly migraine attacks, according to Dr. Silberstein.

“The safety and tolerability during the open-label phase were similar to that in the double-blind phase,” he noted. “One of the reasons this is important is that, unlike small molecules, the monoclonal antibodies are not metabolized in the liver, but are metabolized in the reticuloendothelial system. So, the concept of small-molecule toxicity does not exist.”

Amgen sponsored the trial. Dr. Silberstein disclosed that he receives consulting fees from Amgen.