The throbbing pain of a migraine makes everyday tasks into mammoth challenges for those who suffer from them. But a new drug could prevent migraine symptoms – as long as you’re able to spot certain signs before the headache starts.
The drug, called ubrogepant, was recently approved for use in the US and is available in the UK, but not on the NHS.
Funded by AbbVie, the maker of ubrogepant, the new study reveals that when the pill is taken at the first sign of a migraine it can prevent the debilitating headache from starting. Some people who suffer from migraines can tell when an attack is about to happen through early symptoms, including increased sensitivity to light and sound, fatigue, neck pain or stiffness, and dizziness.
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So how does the drug work work? Ubrogepant inhibits a protein known as CGRP (standing for ‘calcitonin gene-related peptide’) that plays a key role in the migraine process in the brain.
“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,” said Dr Richard B Lipton, author of the study published in the peer-reviewed journal Neurology.
“Our findings are encouraging, suggesting that ubrogepant may help people with migraine function normally and go about their day.”
Lipton and his team recruited 518 participants who’d had migraines for at least one year, and two to eight migraine attacks per month. All of these participants were able to tell when a migraine would start within the next few hours.
The researchers asked them to treat two of these migraines when they spotted one brewing, and gave them ubrogepant for one and a placebo to take for the other.
After taking the drug or placebo, the participants then filled in an online diary throughout the day. Using this they had to report how much their subsequent migraine limited their day’s activity on a five-point scale. Zero signalled that the migraine had no impact, while four meant that the migraine was so severe it prevented normal activity.
The researchers discovered that as quickly as two hours after taking the pill, those who took ubrogepant were 73 per cent more likely to report that they were “able to function normally”, compared to those who had taken the placebo.
Twenty-four hours later, 65 per cent of those who had taken ubrogepant reported themselves as not limited at all, or limited only a little, by their migraine. By comparison, only 48 per cent of those who had taken the placebo felt this way.
But despite its promises, the findings only apply to people with early warning symptoms who can feel a migraine coming on. For those that feel the sharp ache of its surprise arrival, ubrogepant may not – yet – be the saving grace we want it to be.
Nevertheless, experts think it's a sign of hope. Dr Stephen Ross, professor and vice chairman for clinical affairs of the department of neurology at Penn State University College of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, told BBC Science Focus: "This is exciting news for migraine sufferers. To be able to stop a migraine attack before it reaches the severe pain phase is desirable for anyone who has ever suffered with migraine."
About our expert:
Dr Stephen Ross is a professor and the vice chairman for clinical affairs of the department of neurology at Penn State University College of Medicine and Penn State Health in the USA. His research has been published in Neurology, Medicine Today, and Pediatric Emergency Care.
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