Migraine treatment has entered a new phase with approval by the Federal Food & Drug Administration of a new medication designed specifically for the purpose of migraine prevention.
“Aimovig is the first FDA-approved preventive migraine treatment in a new class of drugs that work by blocking the activity of calcitonin gene-related peptide, a molecule that is involved in migraine attacks,” the FDA said in a press release from May 17, officially announcing its approval of the drug.
While that may be a mouthful, Aimovig could spell relief for the approximately 38 million people in the U.S. who suffer from episodic migraine and chronic migraine, according to neurologist Dr. Brian Grosberg, medical director of the Hartford HealthCare Headache Center.
“None of the medications used in clinical practice today were specifically designed for prevention of migraine,” said Dr. Grosberg. “Furthermore, their utility has been limited in some patients because of intolerable adverse effects, such as weight gain or constant drowsiness.”
According to Dr. Grosberg, Aimovig is unique because it was developed specifically to treat migraine syndrome.
“None of the medications that we currently use to help prevent migraines was specifically designed for headache prevention,” Dr. Grosberg said. Some were developed to treat high blood pressure. Another popular treatment, Botox, had it origins in ophthalmology.
Aimovig is a once-a-month, self-injected prescription medication. With all the excitement with its debut, Dr. Grosberg recommends that patients understand that this is not a cure.
“This treatment, even though it’s a breakthrough, it’s not a panacea,” he said. “It is definite progress in the treatments that we have. But for people who have not responded (to other medications), or who are looking for a migraine-specific medication, this certainly can be a game changer.”
Looking for options when it comes to treating headache or migraine? The Hartford HealthCare Headache Center provides a personalized, team approach to treatment. Learn more here.