"With many current drugs to prevent migraine, it takes time to find the right dosage for the individual and it can take weeks or even months for it to be most effective," said study author Richard B. Lipton, MD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, in a press release.
"Some people give up and stop taking the drugs before they reach this point. Plus, many people experience side effects with current treatments. Developing a drug that works both effectively and quickly is critical,” he added.
Atogepant is an oral calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist that has been approved for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults. Three previous phase 3 trials demonstrated the drug’s safety and efficacy in treating episodic migraine and chronic migraine over 12-week treatment periods.
In the current study, researchers assessed the drug's effects on efficacy and functional outcomes in the first four weeks of treatment. Ultimately, those taking Atogepant were less likely to have a migraine on the first day of treatment than those taking a placebo. They also had fewer migraines per week in the first four weeks of the study, and fewer migraines throughout the study period than those taking a placebo.
Altogether, people taking the drug were 61% less likely to have a migraine in the first trial and 47% and 37% less likely in the second and third trials. Participants taking Atogepant experienced between 1 and 1.5 extra migraine-free days per week compared to those taking a placebo.
"Migraine is the second-leading cause of disability in the overall population and the leading cause of disability in young women, with people reporting negative effects on their relationships, parenting, career and finances. Having a treatment that can act quickly and effectively addresses a key need,” said Lipton.
Sources: Science Daily, Neurology
