‘Lifechanging’ migraine pill which slashes attacks by half set to be available in months
- When taken daily, research showed that the drug had double the success of current tablets
Millions of migraine sufferers could soon benefit from a new drug that has been found to reduce attacks by half.
Tests with atogepant, taken as a daily pill, showed that the number of migraine attacks fell from an average of eight to four per month – double the success of the current tablets.
The drug has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and experts predict it will soon be available to patients, pending a green light from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Known as a CGRP inhibitor, it works by blocking the effect of the calcitonin gene-related peptide – a protein known to trigger migraines.
Made by US company AbbVie, it is estimated to cost around £8,000 a year
Millions of migraine sufferers could soon benefit from a new drug that has been found to reduce attacks by half
Studies with atogepant, taken as a daily pill, showed that the number of migraine attacks decreased from an average of eight to four per month – double the success of the current tablets
Professor Peter Goadsby of King’s College Hospital who led the discovery of CGRP in the 1980s said it could be ‘life-changing’ for patients.