The study found that ubrogepant (sold under the brand name Ubrelvy) helped 65% of the 518 participants relieve or stop the debilitating pain associated with migraines, with the “first-of-its-kind” findings suggesting the drug can work before the pain starts.
Those who took the drug were 73% more likely, on average, to report being able to go about their day without pain. Side effects included drowsiness, nausea and fatigue.
The study authors said the drug comes in 50 or 100 mg tablets and takes about an hour and a half to start working.
“Migraine is one of the most common diseases worldwide, yet many people with the condition do not receive treatment or report dissatisfaction with their treatment,” said study author Dr. Richard Lipton, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Improving care at the first signs of migraine, even before the pain begins, could be key to improving outcomes.”
The drug works by mimicking a molecule in the brain that triggers migraine pain. It binds to pain receptors and prevents them from being activated by the physical signals that cause migraines.
It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in December 2019 for the treatment of migraines, and patients are advised to take it as soon as they feel migraine pain.
The drug is not approved in the UK, but the Scottish Medicines Association allows it to be used in patients who have no other treatments available.
Initial studies found that it helped relieve migraine pain within 4 hours in 85% of patients who took the drug.
The new findings suggest that it could be taken earlier, to achieve the desired effectiveness later.
However, there are some limitations to the Ubrelvy study: First, the results need to be replicated in a larger group to determine how widespread the benefits are. Second, the study itself was funded by AbbVie, which owns and sells the drug. Finally, the study relied on participants to self-report their own symptoms, which can sometimes make the results inaccurate or subject to personal bias.
The study was published in the journal Neurology.
Source: Daily Mail
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2024-08-29 13:50:57
