Impact of Alleviating Migraine: Richard B. Lipton, MD

“Treating migraine is a huge opportunity to be helpful to patients and our tools have never been better. Although it can take some effort to treat migraine, it's, really, really gratifying. And with all the new tools we have available, it's possible to make a big difference in our patients’ lives.”

Rimegepant (Nurtec ODT; Biohaven), previously approved for the treatment of acute migraine in February 2020, has shown promise in migraine prevention when taken every other day in a recent multicenter, phase 2/3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (NCT03732638).^1,2

Researchers found a clinically significant, at least 50% reduction in the mean number of moderate or severe migraine days per month in the last month of double-blind treatment in around 49% (n = 171; 95% CI, 44-54) of patients on rimegepant as compared to 41% (n = 142; 95% CI, 36-47) of patients on placebo.

NeurologyLive spoke with study coauthor Richard B. Lipton, MD, professor and vice chair of neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and director, Montefiore Headache Center to learn more about the advances in migraine treatment. He stressed the impact that alleviating migraine can have on patients.

REFERENCES

1. Kroop R, Lipton RB, Kudrow D, et al. Oral rimegepant for preventive treatment of migraine: a phase 2/3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 2021:397(10268):51-60 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32544-7
2. Rimegepant Approved by FDA for the Acute Treatment of Migraine in Adults. News release. February 27, 2020. Accessed February 22, 2021. https://americanheadachesociety.org/news/rimegepant-acute-migraine-treatment/