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Breakthrough for migraine sufferers in cheap drug that halts headaches before they begin
A drug already on the market for $35 might help the millions of Americans currently suffering with migraine to stop the attack before it begins.
Ubrogepant - sold under brand name Ubrelvy - helped 65 percent of participants blunt or stop the debilitating pain associated with migraines, so that they could go about their day as usual.
Earlier studies have shown the drug can help people already sickened by an attack, but this study was the first to conclude the drug can work before the pain begins.
Migraine affects roughly 39 million Americans, according to the American Migraine Association
It's taken as a 50 or 100 mg pill, and takes around an hour and a half to set in.
The study authors say this could be a game changer for roughly 39 million Americans who suffer with migraines.
'Migraine is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, yet so many people who suffer from this condition do not receive treatment or report that they are not satisfied with their treatment,' study author Dr Richard Lipton, from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine said.
'Improving care at the first signs of migraine, even before headache pain begins, can be a key to improved outcomes. Our findings are encouraging, suggesting that ubrogepant may help people with migraine function normally and go about their day' he said.
When a migraine sets in, most people can't move, look at light, or hear loud sounds without intense pain, nausea or vomiting.
The new drug works by mimicking a molecule in the brain that triggers migraine pain. When in the body, these molecules sit on pain receptors, and stop them from being activated by bodily signals that trigger migraine.
It was approved by the FDA in December 2019 for treating migraines - patients are recommended to take it as soon as they feel the pain of a migraine set in.
The drug has not been approved in the UK - but the Scottish Medicines Consortium allows it to be used for patients who have no other treatments available.
These initial studies found it helped relieve migraine pain within four hours in 85 percent of patients who took the drug.
New findings suggest it could be taken even earlier than previously thought and still be effective.
The cost without insurance is around $1,000 for 10 tablets - which should be about a months supply - but can be as low as $0 through insurance or an offer through AbbVie, the drug's manufacturer.
Average insurance price is $35, according to the drugs listing on Amazon.
The new study, which was published in the journal Neurology, looked to see if the medication still worked if patients took it before they even felt pain.
Crucially, this meant that the 518 participants involved had symptoms that clued them into when a migraine was on the horizon - which isn't the case for everyone with migraines.
They found that 65 percent of people who took the drug reported being able to lead a normal life after taking Ubrelvy, a sign that the drug had stopped their migraine, compared to 48 percent who took the placebo.
This means that they were in less pain, or at least able to manage the pain and do things that they normally wouldn't be able to do while in the throes of a migraine - like work or walk around.
On average, those who took the drug were 73 percent more likely to report being able to go about their day without pain than those who didn't.
Side effects included drowsiness, nausea and fatigue.
'Based on our findings, treatment with ubrogepant may allow people with migraine who experience early warning signs before a migraine occurs to quickly treat migraine attacks in their earliest stages and go about their daily lives with little discomfort and disruption,' Dr Lipton said.
The doctor added: 'This could lead to an improved quality of life for those living with migraine'.
The drug is a type of medication called a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist. CGRP is a protein that plays a key role in migraines - activating parts of the body that lead to migraine pain.
Ubrelvy, and similiar medications, mimic that protein - taking the spot that the pain-inducing molecules would normally take, and stopping migraine symptoms.
Ubrelvy was approved for treating migraine in 2019.
Similar drugs include Nurtec, Ajovy, Emgality and Aimovig - all from competing pharmaceutical companies, listed at similar prices to Ubrelvy.
Other migraine medications might be just as effective, however, and have been on the market for longer.
This includes migraine drugs that an individual takes every day to prevent them from ever setting in - called oral migraine preventative medication (OMPM).
However, OMPM's sometimes come with unpleasant side effects like dizziness, muscle cramps, vomiting and increased heart rate, which might mean they're not a good fit for everyone.
Only 14 percent of over 8700 migraine sufferers kept taking daily migraine medication after a year on the medicine - either because it didn't work or caused too many side effects, a 2017 study from the Mayo Clinic found.
Still, the new Ubrelvy study had some limitations. First, it will need to be replicated in a bigger group in order to determine how widespread its benefits are.
Second, the study itself was funded by AbbVie, which owns and sells the drug. In 2023, sales from Ubrelvy and another migraine drug called Qulipta generated $1.223billion in revenue, company financial reports stated.
Finally, the study relied on participants to report their own symptoms, which sometimes makes results inaccurate or subject to personal bias.