Novel Migraine Targets Spotlighted at AHS 2026: Amaal Starling, MD, FAHS, FAAN

WATCH TIME: 3 minutes | Captions are auto-generated and may contain errors.

"There's so much that's already being done with GLP-1s in many other spaces, and of course, in obesity. There was some great basic science as well as some clinical evidence about this being potentially helpful from a migraine perspective, from an anti-inflammatory perspective."

At the recently concluded 2026 American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Meeting, held June 4-7, in Orlando, Florida, experts showcased the broad and evolving landscape of migraine therapeutics, with presentations emphasizing both novel biologic targets and clinically meaningful outcomes for patients with headache disorders. During the meeting, speakers highlighted a shift away from focusing solely on monthly migraine days toward a more holistic understanding of disease burden, incorporating symptoms such as nausea, brain fog, and overall quality of life. This expanded lens could reflect more of migraine’s complex neurobiologic and genetic underpinnings and aims to better align clinical research with what patients identify as “good days.”

Among the topics presented were data on new pharmacologic targets beyond the calcitonin gene–related peptide and pituitary adenylate cyclase–activating polypeptide pathways, including the TRPM8 receptor as a novel acute treatment target informed by genome-wide association studies. Presenters also detailed efforts to repurpose agents already available for other indications, such as the sodium channel blocker suzetrigine, currently approved for acute and subacute pain, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)–based therapies being explored for their potential anti-inflammatory and migraine-modifying effects. Sessions on nausea, the gut microbiome, and patient-reported outcomes also underscored the growing role of real-world evidence in complementing traditional clinical trial data.

In a follow-up NeurologyLive^® interview, headache expert Amaal Starling, MD, FAHS, FAAN, associate professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, reflected on her experience at the 2026 AHS Annual Meeting, highlighting the breadth of innovation in migraine research. She discussed the excitement around new drug targets identified through genetic studies, the appeal of “measuring what matters” through patient-reported outcomes, and the promise of repurposed agents such as suzetrigine and GLP-1 receptor–based therapies. Starling also emphasized how the deepening pipeline of mechanism-based treatments may help clinicians more precisely tailor therapies to individual patients in everyday practice.

Click here for more coverage of AHS 2026.