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Ubrogepant relieved migraine pain within two hours for a fifth of patients, according to a trial. And it alleviated bothersome symptoms, which include light and noise sensitivity, in 34 per cent of sufferers.Current migraine drugs work by narrowing blood vessels – but these are not deemed safe for people at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Ubrogepant could make a ‘big difference’ for those patients, who are desperate for a drug that works for them, the developers said. The drug blocks a protein in the nervous system involved in pain signalling, blunting any discomfort. Roughly 8.5million people in Britain suffer from migraines. Around 38million people suffer in the US, according to figures.
The pain typically affects one side of the head. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, and light, noise and smell sensitivity. Ubrogepant, made by the pharmaceutical company Allergan, is pending approval by the US Food and Drug Administration. There are also plans to get it licensed in Europe and Asia. The trial, led by the Montefiore Headache Center in New York, was published in the medical journal JAMA.
Some of the 1,700 patients were given a placebo. The others received either a 25mg dose of ubrogepant, or a 50mg one. A fifth of patients in the lower-dose group felt pain-free after two hours. And 34.1 per cent were relived of the most bothersome symptoms.The higher dose was slightly better for discomfort, with 21.8 per cent patients pain-free within 120 minutes. It alleviated other symptoms in 38.9 per of the sufferers.
In comparison, the success rates for the placebo group were just 14 and 27 per cent, respectively. But researchers admitted ubrogepant is not as successful at relieving symptoms as triptans – standard treatment for more severe migraine attacks. Triptans, which constrict blood vessels around the brain to stop pain, have shown response rates ranging from 40 per cent to 75 per cent.
Because of this, patients at risk of heart disease and stroke are not supposed to take triptans, so doctors must find new medicines to give them. Triptans, such as Zomig and Maxalt, also have side effects — including numbness, dizziness and drowsiness — that can make them difficult to take.
‘Having ubrogepant as a potential medication for the acute treatment of migraine will provide much-needed innovation for a disease that causes lost time for millions of people. ‘The exact cause of migraines is unknown, but it may run in families. They’re thought to be the result of temporary changes in the chemicals, nerves and blood vessels in the brain.
Some people find migraine attacks are caused by triggers such as starting their period, stress, tiredness or certain foods or drinks. Some migraines can be treated with over the counter medications, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen or aspirin, if taken at the first signs of a migraine occurring.
Vanessa Chalmers Dailymail