Improvements in pain, medication use and quality of life in onabotulinumtoxinA-resistant chronic migraine patients following erenumab treatment - real world outcomes

Switching anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies in chronic migraine: real-world observations of erenumab, fremanezumab and galcanezumab

OBJECTIVES

The anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies (anti-CGRP-mAb) are effective in migraine; however, few studies have examined the benefit of switching from one anti-CGRP-mAb to another. In order to better inform clinical practice in this situation, we present our real-world findings of switching anti-CGRP-mAb in chronic migraine.

METHODS

Individuals with chronic migraine that switched anti-CGRP-mAb treatment (erenumab, fremanezumab or galcanezumab) due to ineffectiveness or adverse effects were retrospectively identified. Headache diary data before and up to 6 months after anti-CGRP-mAb switch were analysed. Main outcome measures were monthly red days (days with headaches limiting activity or requiring triptans), headache days (days with any kind of headache), triptan use, other analgesic use and headache disability (Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) score) at 3 months.

RESULTS

The analysis included 66 instances of switching among 54 individuals. There were non-significant reductions of -1.2 (-2.7, 0.3) red days from baseline at 3 months, with 10 individuals (15%) showing ≥50% improvement and 22 (33%) experiencing a ≥30% improvement. Improvements in headache days, triptan days, other painkiller use and HIT-6 score were non-significant. When individuals that switched due to side effects were excluded from the analysis, significant reductions in headache (Friedman p=0.044) and a trend for improvement in red days (Friedman p=0.083) were observed. With regard to side effects, on 12 occasions these improved or resolved on switching to a different anti-CGRP-mAb, while new symptoms were reported on eight occasions following a switch.

CONCLUSION

We recorded modest improvements in headache outcomes, although significant results were only observed in those that switched anti-CGRP-mAb due to ineffectiveness. Switching may therefore be a viable option for these individuals.

Erenumab escalation in migraine - double dose without additional benefit - a retrospective experience

BACKGROUND

Erenumab is a monoclonal antibody specifically targeting the CGRP-receptor. Several studies showed efficacy and safety in patients with migraine. Less is known regarding dosage increase, especially in a difficult to treat patients. The aim of the study is to evaluate the increased dosage under real world conditions with particular focus on 70 mg non-responders.

METHODS

In a retrospective analysis, patients treated in tertiary headache centers (Halle or Jena, Germany) receiving 70 mg erenumab for at least 3 months with a dosage increase to 140 mg were analyzed. Data were evaluated regarding headache days, intake of acute medication, previous prophylaxis, and medication overuse. Baseline and all treatment intervals were determined as three-month periods.

RESULTS

Datasets of 52 migraine patients (90.4% women) aged between 22 and 78 years (mean 50.4 years, SD 12.1 years) were analyzed. At baseline (mean headache-days 15.67 ± 6.37) 51.9% met criteria for chronic migraine and 56% were currently overusing acute medication. While therapy with 70 mg showed significant improvement in headache days and 50% response, further improvement was not achieved for therapy escalation to 140 mg. The same applies to the secondary endpoints and covers the entire study population as well as the subgroups of chronic and episodic migraine. The 50% response of the 70 mg non-responders for escalation was only 5.14%.

CONCLUSIONS

In this difficult-to-treat patient cohort we reconfirmed the effectiveness of erenumab, but could not detect any additional benefit for a dosage escalation from 70 mg to 140 mg erenumab.

Changes in Use of Migraine Medications, Healthcare Resource Utilization, and Associated Direct Costs Over 12 Months Following Initiation of Erenumab: A US Retrospective Real-World Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Erenumab-aooe is approved for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults. Recent publications have evaluated migraine medication use during the 6 months after starting erenumab, but longer-term follow-up data are limited. The objective of this study was to describe 12-month medication use and changes in healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and associated direct costs among patients initiating erenumab.

METHODS

We identified adult patients with an erenumab claim in the Merative MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Databases from May 2018 through September 2019. Eligible patients had ≥ 12 months of continuous medical and pharmacy coverage before (pre-index period) and after (post-index period) the index date (first erenumab claim) in addition to pre-index evidence of migraine. Patients were stratified by post-index-period adherence to erenumab, defined as ≥ 80% of days covered (adherent) or < 80% of days covered (non-adherent). Outcomes were measured pre- and post-index, and differences between these periods were described.

RESULTS

Among 7528 eligible patients, the mean (standard deviation) age was 45.1 (11.4) years and 85.4% were female; 38.5% of patients were adherent to erenumab. Most patients used acute or traditional migraine-preventive medications pre-index, with reductions in use observed post-index (acute medication was used by 95.6% of patients pre-index, compared to 92.3% post-index; traditional preventive medication was used by 89.6% of patients pre-index, compared to 81.9% post-index). Reductions were observed for HRU of emergency room visits (- 3.8%) and brain- and other head-imaging studies (- 7.5%). Overall costs associated with acute and traditional preventive medications were reduced (- $764), but costs for HRU increased slightly ($76). When stratifying by adherence and combining costs for acute and traditional preventive medications and HRU, adherent patients had cost decreases (- $1947), while non-adherent patients had cost increases ($101).

CONCLUSION

Most patients initiating erenumab had prior use of acute and traditional migraine-preventive therapies. The reduction in acute and traditional migraine-preventive medication use and HRU over the 12-month follow-up supports the long-term clinical benefits of erenumab in the real-world setting.

Comparative effectiveness and tolerability of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies and onabotulinumtoxinA in chronic migraine: A multicenter, real-world study in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

To compare the real-world effectiveness and tolerability of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and onabotulinumtoxinA in chronic migraine (CM) patients.

METHODS

This multicenter study involved retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of CM patients treated with CGRP mAbs or onabotulinumtoxinA, including difficult-to-treat (DTT) patients (i.e., ≥3 preventive failures). Treatment outcomes were determined at 6 months based on prospective headache diaries and Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS).

RESULTS

The study included 316 (55 M/261F, mean age 44.4 ± 13.5 years) and 333 (61 M/272F, mean age 47.9 ± 13.4 years) CM patients treated with CGRP mAbs or onabotulinbumtoxinA, respectively. At 6 months, CGRP mAb treatment was associated with a greater decrease in monthly migraine days (MMDs) (-13.0 vs. -8.7 days/month, p < 0.001) and a higher ≥50% responder rate (RR) (74.7% vs. 50.7%, p < 0.001) compared with onabotulinumtoxinA injections. The findings were consistent in DTT patients (-13.0 vs. -9.1 MMDs, p < 0.001; ≥50% RR: 73.9% vs. 50.3%, p < 0.001) or those with medication-overuse headache (MOH) (-13.3 vs. -9.0 MMDs, p < 0.001; ≥50% RR: 79.0% vs. 51.6%, p < 0.001). Besides, patients receiving CGRP mAbs had greater improvement (-42.2 vs. -11.8, p < 0.001) and a higher ≥50% RR (62.0% vs. 40.0%, p = 0.001) in MIDAS scores and a lower rate of adverse events (AEs) (6.0% vs. 21.0%, p < 0.001). However, none of the patients discontinued treatment due to AEs.

CONCLUSIONS

In this multicenter, real-world study, CGRP mAbs were more effective than onabotulinumtoxinA in CM patients, even in DTT or MOH patients. All of these injectables were well tolerated. Further prospective studies are needed to verify these findings.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of erenumab for the treatment of migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Migraine is a common and disabling primary headache disorder. Several drugs targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), such as erenumab (an anti-CGRP receptor mAb), have been developed recently. However, the real-world effects of erenumab are not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of erenumab for reducing migraine intensity and frequency in the real world.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library was conducted from inception to December 2023. Studies estimating the real-world effect of erenumab on monthly migraine days (MMD), monthly headache days (MHD), headache impact test (HIT-6), number of days in medication (NDM), acute monthly intake (AMI), pain intensity (PI) and safety outcomes were included. Meta-analyses of proportions or mean differences were performed.

RESULTS

Fifty-three studies were included. At 3-months, the effect was -7.18 days for MMD, -6.89 days for MHD, -6.97 for HIT-6, -6.22 days for NDM, -15.75 for AMI, and -1.71 for PI. Generally, the effect at 6- and 12-months increased slightly and gradually. The MMD/MHD response rates revealed that approximately one-third of patients exhibited a response greater than 30%, while one-sixth demonstrated a response exceeding 50%. Additionally, 3-4% of patients achieved a response rate of 100%. Adverse event rates were 0.34 and 0.43 at 6- and 12-months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study provides strong evidence of the effectiveness and safety of erenumab in the real world; to our knowledge, this is the first real-world meta-analysis specific to erenumab. Erenumab represents a solid therapeutic option for physicians.

Health care resource utilization and direct costs incurred over 24 months after initiating galcanezumab or standard-of-care preventive migraine treatments in the United States

BACKGROUND

Health care resource utilization (HCRU) and direct costs incurred over 12 months following initiation of galcanezumab (GMB) or standard-of-care (SOC) preventive migraine treatments have been evaluated. However, a gap in knowledge exists in understanding longer-term HCRU and direct costs.

OBJECTIVE

To compare all-cause and migraine-related HCRU and direct costs in patients with migraine initiating GMB or SOC preventive migraine treatments over a 24-month follow-up.

METHODS

This retrospective study used Optum deidentified Market Clarity Data. The study included adults diagnosed with migraine, with at least 1 claim for GMB or SOC preventive migraine therapy (September 2018 to March 2020), with continuous enrollment for 12 months before and 24 months after (follow-up) the index date (date of first GMB or SOC claim). Propensity score (PS) matching (1:1) was used to balance cohorts. All-cause and migraine-related HCRU and direct costs for GMB vs SOC cohorts were reported as mean (SD) per patient per year (PPPY) over a 24-month follow-up and compared using a Z-test. Costs were inflated to 2022 US$.

RESULTS

After PS matching, 2,307 patient pairs (mean age: 44.4 years; female sex: 87.3%) were identified. Compared with the SOC cohort, the GMB cohort had lower mean (SD) PPPY all-cause office visits (17.9 [17.7] vs 19.1 [18.7]; P = 0.023) and migraine-related office visits (2.6 [3.3] vs 3.0 [4.7]; P = 0.002) at follow-up. No significant differences were observed between cohorts in other all-cause and migraine-related events assessed including outpatient visits, emergency department (ED) visits, inpatient stays, and other medical visits. The mean (SD) costs PPPY were lower in the GMB cohort compared with the SOC cohort for all-cause office visits ($4,321 [7,518] vs $5,033 [7,211]; P < 0.001) at follow-up. However, the GMB cohort had higher mean (SD) PPPY all-cause total costs ($24,704 [30,705] vs $21,902 [28,213]; P = 0.001) and pharmacy costs ($9,507 [12,659] vs $5,623 [12,605]; P < 0.001) compared with the SOC cohort. Mean (SD) costs PPPY were lower in the GMB cohort for migraine-related office visits ($806 [1,690] vs $1,353 [2,805]; P < 0.001) compared with the SOC cohort. However, the GMB cohort had higher mean (SD) PPPY migraine-related total costs ($8,248 [11,486] vs $5,047 [9,749]; P < 0.001) and migraine-related pharmacy costs ($5,394 [3,986] vs $1,761 [4,133]; P < 0.001) compared with the SOC cohort. There were no significant differences between cohorts in all-cause and migraine-related costs for outpatient visits, ED visits, inpatient stays, and other medical visits.

CONCLUSIONS

Although total costs were greater for GMB vs SOC following initiation, changes in a few categories of all-cause and migraine-related HCRU and direct costs were lower for GMB over a 24-month follow-up. Additional analysis evaluating indirect health care costs may offer insights into further cost savings incurred with preventive migraine treatment.

Improvement of comorbid anxiety and depression in patients with migraine treated with injectable preventive calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonists: Review of clinical evidence

Background

Migraine is often associated with depression and anxiety, leading to a diminished quality of life. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists have shown promise in treating migraines, but their effects on concurrent depression and anxiety have not been clarified.

Methods

A literature review was conducted on ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Ovid Medline, and EMBASE focusing on phase 3 clinical trials, post-hoc analysis studies, and real-world evidence (RWE) published in the past 5 years. The review primarily utilized patient-reported outcome tools, such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)-7, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), to assess anxiety and depression in relation to CGRP-targeted monoclonal antibodies.

Results

Out of 260 studies, 17 met the inclusion criteria. Eptinezumab lacked sufficient evidence regarding its impact on depression and anxiety. While sufficient evidence on its effect on comorbid anxiety was not available, fremanezumab was shown to significantly improve comorbid depression in one study while not achieving statistical significance in another. Erenumab and galcanezumab showed significant improvement in comorbid depression, implying possible benefits in patients with migraine. Galcanezumab showed faster relief from depressive symptoms than other injectable CGRP antagonists. Galcanezumab also exhibited improvements in GAD-7 scores for anxiety, although not statistically significant, whereas RWE showed promising HARS scores for both galcanezumab and erenumab.

Conclusions

Galcanezumab and erenumab appear to be more effective in improving concurrent depressive and anxiety symptoms in migraine patients than fremanezumab. Notably, these psychometric questionnaires were not the primary outcome measures of the trials and were not specifically designed to investigate the effects of these medications on depression or anxiety. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of CGRP antagonists on mental health disorders associated with migraines. These findings have implications for enhancing the overall well-being and quality of life in individuals with migraines and comorbid psychiatric conditions.

Indian Consensus on the Role of Amitriptyline in Migraine Prophylaxis

Migraine is a globally prevalent neurological disorder. Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, has shown potential as a prophylactic treatment for migraine; however, its role as a first-line medication has been debated. A modified Delphi method was used to develop consensus statements on migraine and its management. The literature review identified knowledge gaps, and two survey rounds were conducted among a panel of experts. Consensus was reached for 12 out of 23 initial survey questions, whereas no consensus was reached for four questions after the deliberation in the second round. The results showed that migraine is highly prevalent among women aged 15-35 years in India. Amitriptyline is an effective monotherapy for prophylactic migraine management, with a recommended initial dose of 5-10 mg. A gradual titration over six months achieves optimal results. Amitriptyline is also safe for managing catamenial migraine and can be used at lower doses during pregnancy to alleviate symptoms. The outcomes of this study emphasize that amitriptyline should be considered as a primary prophylactic treatment for migraine because of its efficacy and safety. The evidence-based consensus achieved is intended to serve as guidance for healthcare practitioners in India, and it is anticipated that such adoption will lead to improvement in patient outcomes and an enhancement in the quality of life for those affected by migraines.

Real-World Effectiveness of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide-Binding Monoclonal Antibodies for Migraine Prevention: A Systematic Review

Background

Migraine is a neurological disease with a high incidence. The new anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies (anti-CGRP mAbs) have demonstrated effectiveness in preventing episodic and chronic migraine.

Objective

To collect evidence of the real-world effectiveness of anti-CGRP mAbs by assessing outcomes such as reduction in monthly migraine days (MMDs), reduction in monthly headache days (MHDs), and percentage of patients having a 50% reduction in MMDs.

Data Sources

The PubMed database was searched for the period from inception to October 20, 2021.

Study Selection and Data Extraction

Of interest for this review were studies that evaluated the real-world effectiveness of anti-CGRP mAbs in terms of MMDs and reduction in MHDs. The search terms included "migraine", "monthly migraine days", and various drug names. The data are reported in terms of patients' baseline characteristics and treatment effectiveness.

Data Synthesis

A total of 46 studies were evaluated, of which 30 (enrolling a total of 4273 patients across 10 countries) were included in the systematic review. The greatest absolute reduction in MMD was from 20.4 at baseline to 10.7 after 3 months of treatment. After 6 months, the greatest absolute difference was 10, relative to baseline. The largest absolute reduction in MHD at 3 months was from 22 to 8, whereas at 6 months, the greatest absolute reduction in MHD was 13. The treatment could be considered clinically effective (≥ 50% reduction in MMDs) for 41% of patients at 3 months and about 44% of patients at 6 months.

Conclusions

Despite substantial variability in baseline values, this review confirmed the effectiveness of anti-CGRP mAbs, which yielded important clinical reductions in both MMDs and MHDs.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies for migraine

The introduction of calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies represents a step forward in preventive migraine treatment as the first agents to target the underlying pathogenesis of migraine. In trials they act more quickly, have better long-term adherence and appear to be better tolerated than other treatments. Major disadvantages are their high cost and unknown safety in pregnancy and in cardiovascular disease. To mitigate these concerns, they should be used according to guidance produced by professional bodies, with defined starting and stopping criteria. We do not yet know whether they are more effective than standard care; many patients may still be better treated by other means, in particular addressing lifestyle factors and medication-overuse headache.

Assessment of the relative effectiveness of erenumab compared with onabotulinumtoxinA for the prevention of chronic migraine

OBJECTIVE

To assess the available clinical and economic evidence of erenumab vs onabotulinumtoxinA for chronic migraine (CM) and present de-novo indirect treatment comparisons (ITCs) based on available clinical trial data.

METHODS

We conducted ITCs based on results from the pivotal 295 trial (NCT02066415) of erenumab vs placebo and published aggregate data from the PREEMPT 1 (NCT00156910) and PREEMPT 2 (NCT00168428) trials of onabotulinumtoxinA vs placebo. ITCs were conducted for CM patients with and without prior administration of onabotulinumtoxinA and among CM patients with ≥3 prior preventive treatment failures. Efficacy was assessed based on responder rates of ≥50% reductions in monthly headache days (MHDs) and monthly migraine days (MMDs) as well as change from baseline in both MHDs and MMDs.

RESULTS

Among patients with CM, 140 mg erenumab was associated with a reduction of 1.2 MHD (p = .092) and a reduction of 1.0 MMD (p = .174) compared to onabotulinumtoxinA at Week 12. Among onabotulinumtoxinA-naïve patients, erenumab was associated with a reduction of 1.8 MHD (p = .026) and 1.4 MMD (p = .080) at Week 12. Among patients that had received ≥3 prior preventive treatments, the odds ratios comparing erenumab vs onabotulinumtoxinA were 1.7 for ≥50% responder rates based on reductions in MHD (p = .155) and 1.7 for ≥50% responder rates based on reductions in MMD (p = .140).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest directional benefits (although not reaching the threshold of statistical significance) associated with erenumab vs onabotulinumtoxinA for the preventive treatment of CM. Evidence from this study may inform healthcare stakeholders in treatment selection and optimization for patients with CM.

Advances in CGRP Monoclonal Antibodies as Migraine Therapy: A Narrative Review

Migraine is a potentially disabling disorder, yet it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. The release of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the trigemino-cerebrovascular system plays a vital role in the evolution of migraine. It enhances peripheral sensitization by mediating neurogenic inflammation and also influences central sensitization. The majority of the drug classes available for migraine prophylaxis are nonspecific and associated with numerous side effects and drug interactions. Anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are an innovative therapeutic class that fulfills the need for more efficacious and tolerable preventive therapy. While erenumab is a mAb to the CGRP receptor, eptinezumab, fremanezumab, and galcanezumab bind to the CGRP molecule. They decrease the number of headache days and improve disability. Upper respiratory tract infection, nausea, constipation, pain at the site of injection, and fatigue are the associated side effects. CGRP mAbs are an excellent advancement in translational research and are a promising addition in migraine therapy. This article discusses the recent advances in the development of the CGRP mAbs.

Monoclonal Antibodies against Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide for Migraine Prophylaxis: A Systematic Review of Real-World Data

OBJECTIVE

To perform a systematic review of real-world outcomes for anti-CGRP-mAbs.

METHODS

Following the PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed for real-world data of erenumab, galcanezumab, fremanezumab, or eptinezumab in patients with migraines.

RESULTS

We identified 134 publications (89 retrospective), comprising 10 pharmaco-epidemiologic and 83 clinic-based studies, 38 case reports, and 3 other articles. None of the clinic-based studies provided follow-up data over more than one year in more than 200 patients. Findings suggest that there are reductions in health insurance claims and days with sick-leave as well as better treatment adherence with anti-CGRP-mAbs. Effectiveness, reported in 77 clinic-based studies, was comparable to randomized controlled trials. A treatment pause was associated with an increase in migraine frequency, and switching to another antibody resulted in a better response in some of the patients. Adverse events and safety issues were addressed in 86 papers, including 24 single case reports.

CONCLUSION

Real-world data on anti-CGRP-mAbs are limited by retrospective data collection, small patient numbers, and short follow-up periods. The majority of papers seem to support good effectiveness and tolerability of anti-CGRP-mAbs in the real-world setting. There is an unmet need for large prospective real-world studies providing long-term follow-ups of patients treated with anti-CGRP-mAbs.

Frequency, Demographics, Comorbidities, and Health Care Utilization by Veterans With Migraine: A VA Nationwide Cohort Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To describe the relative frequency, demographics, comorbidities, and health care utilization of veterans who receive migraine care at the Veteran's Health Administration (VHA) and to evaluate differences by gender.

METHODS

This study extracted data from VHA administrative sources. Veterans diagnosed with migraine by a health care provider between fiscal year 2008 and 2019 were included. Demographics and military exposures were extracted at cohort entry. Comorbidities were extracted within 18 months of the first migraine diagnosis. Health care utilization and headache comorbidities were extracted across the study period. Differences between men and women were evaluated using χ2 tests and Student t tests.

RESULTS

More than half a million (n = 567,121) veterans were diagnosed with migraine during the 12-year study period, accounting for 5.3% of the 10.8 million veterans served in the VHA; in the most recent year of the study period (2019), the annual incidence and 1-year period prevalence of medically diagnosed migraine was 2.7% and 13.0% for women and 0.7% and 2.5% for men. In the total cohort diagnosed with migraine, 27.8% were women and 72.2% men. Among those with diagnosed migraine, a higher proportion of men vs women also had a TBI diagnosis (3.9% vs 1.1%; p < 0.001). A higher proportion of women vs men reported military sexual trauma (35.5% vs 3.5%; p < 0.001). Participants with diagnosed migraine had an average of 1.44 (SD 1.73) annual encounters for headache. Primary care was the most common headache care setting (88.1%); almost one-fifth of veterans with diagnosed migraine sought care in the ED at least once during the study period. Common comorbidities were overweight/obesity (80.3%), nonheadache pain disorders (61.7%), and mental health disorders (48.8%).

DISCUSSION

Migraine is commonly treated in the VHA setting, but likely underascertained. Most people treated for migraine in the VHA are men. Pain comorbidities and psychiatric disorders are common. Future research should identify methods to improve diagnosis and treatment and to reduce use of the emergency department.

Recently approved and emerging drug options for migraine prophylaxis

INTRODUCTION

: Migraine occupies the first position regarding to the disability caused in female working population (15-49 years). Research in the field of prophylaxis of this pathology has made enormous strides in recent years.

AREAS COVERED

In this narrative review we retrace the most important scientific evidence regarding recently approved and emerging drug for prophylactic treatment of migraine. The purpose of this article is in fact to evaluate currently approved or emerging pharmacological agents for migraine prophylaxis. This review is based on literature published in peer review journal obtained through PubMed, Cochrane library, Clinicaltrials.gov and US FDA.

EXPERT OPINION

: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target the calcitonin gene-related peptide signalling pathway (CGRP) have marked an innovation in prophylactic migraine therapy. The combination of Onabotulinumtoxin-A (OBTA) and mAbs appears to be an effective, but costly, therapeutic option for resistant cases. New classes of molecules like gepants and ditans seem to give exceptional results. In addition, new prophylactic drugs are emerging with several targets: the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), ion channels, several receptors coupled to G proteins, orexin, and glutamate. All these therapies will implement and improve migraine management, as well as personalized medicine for each patient.

Therapies targeting CGRP signaling for medication overuse headache

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Medication overuse headache (MOH) affects more than 60 million individuals worldwide causing enormous personal and social burden. Only repurposed drugs are available for MOH that share limited evidence for efficacy. The preclinical data suggesting that activation of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway is involved in headache chronification along with clinical evidence that monoclonal antibodies targeting CGRP (anti-CGRP mAbs) have good efficacy in preventing chronic migraine, triggered this review that aims to summarize the current data on the effectiveness and safety of mAbs against CGRP in MOH.

RECENT FINDINGS

Post hoc analyses of phase-3 trials of erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab, and eptinezumab for the prevention of chronic migraine revealed that patients with MOH benefit from the treatment over placebo. Several real-world studies confirm the efficacy of erenumab and galcanezumab in patients with MO. However, all published trials evaluated treatments in patients with chronic migraine with MO collectively, not in patients with MOH exclusively.

SUMMARY

The available data indicate that anti-CGRP mAbs represent a good mechanism-based and disease-specific therapeutical option with for MOH as long as detoxification and additional nonpharmaceutical interventions are operated. Future research should focus on long-term-controlled trials in MOH populations exclusively.

CGRP Targeting Therapy for Chronic Migraine-Evidence from Clinical Trials and Real-world Studies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Monoclonal antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or its receptor have become part of the standard treatment for migraine in clinical practice. The current review focuses on the clinical evidence of CGRP monoclonal antibodies in patients with chronic migraine (CM), including more challenging cases.

RECENT FINDINGS

CGRP monoclonal antibodies were more effective than placebo in reducing the number of monthly migraine days (MMDs), and the change relative to placebo in the treatment group was between - 1.2 and - 2.7 days at 3 months. CGRP monoclonal antibodies resulted in ≥ 50% response in 27.5 to 61.4% of patients, and doubled the odds for having ≥ 50% response. The findings were generally consistent in patients with coexisting medication overuse or with treatment failures to multiple preventive medications, including onabotulinumtoxinA. The results from real-world studies (RWS) were similar to those seen in clinical trials, and the changes from baseline in the number of MMDs and the response rates largely fell within the ranges of those reported in the treatment group in pivotal trials. The therapeutic effects typically started within a few days, and remained steady after regular treatment for up to 1 year. These agents were generally well tolerated, and the discontinuation rates due to adverse events in clinical trials and in many RWS were < 4.5%. CGRP monoclonal antibodies are effective and safe in the treatment of patients with CM, including clinical challenging cases. However, the role of CGRP monoclonal antibodies in a number of conditions, such as cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, pregnancy, and overuse of opioids or barbiturates, needs to be further clarified.

Patient-reported outcomes of migraine treatment with erenumab: results from a national patient survey

BACKGROUND

Despite development of new therapies, migraine remains an undertreated illness. It is important to understand patients' preferences and perceptions of using a certain therapy. We present data from a nationwide Lithuanian survey of patients' experience using erenumab for the treatment of high frequency episodic and chronic migraine.

METHODS

An anonymous internet survey was distributed on February-March 2021 to the members of Migraine Association of Lithuania. All adult respondents who reported using at least one dose of erenumab were included in the study.

RESULTS

Out of 145 respondents, 75.2% had chronic migraine, and 31.7% had medication overuse headache. Patients received an average of 6 (IQR 4-9) erenumab doses. 93.1% respondents found erenumab effective, and 72.6% experienced improvement during the first month. MHDs were reduced by 9.8 (SD 6.0) (P < 0.001), and MMDs by 7.2 (SD 5.2) days (P < 0.001). 78.6% respondents achieved ≥ 50% reduction and 47.6% achieved ≥ 75% reduction of MMDs. 13.8% patients indicated a wearing-off effect during the treatment course, and 37.8% - some wearing-off between injections. Constipation was the most frequent adverse event (32.6%). 47.2% of patients who had a positive erenumab effect and discontinued treatment experienced migraine rebound in 6 (SD 2.0) weeks.

CONCLUSION

Erenumab is perceived as an effective and safe treatment. Further studies are needed to investigate a post-cessation deterioration of achieved improvement.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Vast majority of patients experience stable or increasing effect of erenumab. • Erenumab efficacy usually becomes evident during the first month of treatment. • Erenumab is perceived significantly better than non-specific preventive medications. • Almost 40% of patients experienced some wearing-off between injections. • Almost half of patients experience migraine rebounds after treatment cessation.

Incidence, prevalence and disability associated with neurological disorders in Italy between 1990 and 2019: an analysis based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND

Neurological conditions are highly prevalent and disabling, in particular in the elderly. The Italian population has witnessed sharp ageing and we can thus expect a rising trend in the incidence, prevalence and disability of these conditions.

METHODS

We relied on the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study to extract Italian data on incidence, prevalence and years lived with a disability (YLDs) referred to a broad set of neurological disorders including, brain and nervous system cancers, stroke, encephalitis, meningitis, tetanus, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. We assessed changes between 1990 and 2019 in counts and age-standardized rates.

RESULTS

The most prevalent conditions were tension-type headache, migraine, and dementias, whereas the most disabling were migraine, dementias and traumatic brain injury. YLDs associated with neurological conditions increased by 22.5%, but decreased by 2.3% in age-standardized rates. The overall increase in prevalence and YLDs counts was stronger for non-communicable diseases with onset in old age compared to young to adult-age onset ones. The same trends were in the opposite direction when age-standardized rates were taken into account.

CONCLUSIONS

The increase in YLDs associated with neurological conditions is mostly due to population ageing and growth: nevertheless, lived disability and, as a consequence, impact on health systems has increased. Actions are needed to improve outcome and mitigate disability associated with neurological conditions, spanning among diagnosis, treatment, care pathways and workplace interventions.

Comparing the relative and absolute effect of erenumab: is a 50% response enough? Results from the ESTEEMen study

Background

Monoclonal antibodies acting on the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or its receptor have changed migraine preventive treatment. Those treatments have led to reconsidering the outcomes of migraine prevention. Available data mostly considered benefits in terms of relative efficacy (percent or absolute decrease in monthly migraine days [MMDs] or headache days compared with baseline). However, not enough attention has been paid to residual MMDs and/or migraine-related disability in treated patients. In the present study, we aimed at comparing the relative and absolute efficacy of erenumab.

Methods

ESTEEMen was a collaborative project among 16 European headache centers which already performed real-life data collections on patients treated with erenumab for at least 12 weeks. For the present study, we performed a subgroup analysis on patients with complete data on MMDs at baseline and at weeks 9-12 of treatment. Starting from efficacy thresholds proposed by previous literature, we classified patients into 0-29%, 30-49%, 50-74%, and ≥75% responders according to MMD decrease from baseline to weeks 9-12 of treatment. For each response category, we reported the median MMDs and Headache Impact test-6 (HIT-6) scores at baseline and at weeks 9-12. We categorized the number of residual MMDs at weeks 9-12 as follows: 0-3, 4-7, 8-14, ≥15. We classified HIT-6 score into four categories: ≤49, 50-55, 56-59, and ≥60. To keep in line with the original scope of the ESTEEMen study, calculations were performed in men and women.

Results

Out of 1215 patients, at weeks 9-12, 381 (31.4%) had a 0-29% response, 186 (15.3%) a 30-49% response, 396 (32.6%) a 50-74% response, and 252 (20.7%) a ≥75% response; 246 patients (20.2%) had 0-3 residual MMDs, 443 (36.5%) had 4-7 MMDs, 299 (24.6%) had 8-14 MMDs, and 227 (18.7%) had ≥15 MMDs. Among patients with 50-74% response, 246 (62.1%) had 4-7 and 94 (23.7%) 8-14 residual MMDs, while among patients with ≥75% response 187 (74.2%) had 0-3 and 65 (25.8%) had 4-7 residual MMDs.

Conclusions

The present study shows that even patients with good relative response to erenumab may have a clinically non-negligible residual migraine burden. Relative measures of efficacy cannot be enough to thoroughly consider the efficacy of migraine prevention.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10194-022-01408-w.

Gender Differences in 3-Month Outcomes of Erenumab Treatment-Study on Efficacy and Safety of Treatment With Erenumab in Men

Objective: We reported gender-specific data on the efficacy and safety of erenumab, a monoclonal antibody antagonizing the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor.

Methods: Our pooled patient-level analysis of real-world data included patients treated with erenumab and followed up for 12 weeks. We considered the following outcomes at weeks 9–12 of treatment compared with baseline: 0–29%, 30–49%, 50–75%, and ≥75% responder rates, according to the decrease in monthly headache days (MHDs), rate of treatment stopping, change in MHDs, monthly migraine days (MMDs), monthly days of acute medication and triptan use, and Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) score from baseline to weeks 9–12. Outcomes were compared between men and women by the chi-squared test or t-test, as appropriate. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to identify factors influencing the efficacy outcomes.

Results: We included 1,410 patients from 16 centers, of which 256 (18.2%) were men. Men were older than women and had a lower number of MHDs at baseline. At weeks 9–12, compared with baseline, 46 (18.0%) men had a ≥75% response, 75 (29.3%) had a 50–74% response, 35 (13.7%) had a 30–49% response, and 86 (33.6%) had a 0–29% response, while 14 (5.5%) stopped the treatment. The corresponding numbers for women were 220 (19.1%), 314 (27.2%), 139 (12.0%), 402 (34.8%), and 79 (6.8%). No gender difference was found in any of the outcomes. The ANCOVA showed that gender did not influence the efficacy of outcomes.

Conclusion: We found that erenumab is equally safe and effective in men compared with women after 12 weeks.

Deterioration of headache impact and health-related quality of life in migraine patients after cessation of preventive treatment with CGRP(-receptor) antibodies

Background

Migraine preventive treatment with CGRP(−receptor) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has a positive effect on patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The German treatment guidelines recommend discontinuing successful treatment with CGRP(−receptor) mAbs after 6–12 months. We aimed to evaluate headache-specific and generic HRQoL for three months after discontinuation of CGRP(−receptor) mAb treatment.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, longitudinal cohort study, including patients with migraine after 8–12 months of therapy with a CGRP(−R) mAb and before a planned discontinuation attempt. HRQoL was assessed at the time of the last mAbs injection (V1), eight weeks later (V2), and sixteen weeks later (V3). For headache-specific HRQoL, we used the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6). Generic HRQoL was determined with the EuroQol-5-Dimension-5-Level (ED-5D-5L) form, and the Short-Form 12 (SF-12), which comprises a Physical Component Summary (PCS-12) and a Mental Component Summary (MCS-12).

Questionnaires’ total scores were compared across the three observation points using nonparametric procedures.

Results

The study cohort consisted of n = 61 patients (n = 29 treated with the CGRP-receptor mAb erenumab and n = 32 with the CGRP mAbs galcanezumab or fremanezumab). The HIT-6 sum score was 59.69 ± 6.90 at V1 and increased by 3.69 ± 6.21 at V3 (p < 0.001), indicating a greater headache impact on patients’ lives. The mean total EQ-D5-L5 score declined from 0.85 ± 0.17 at V1 by − 0.07 ± 0.18 at V3 (p = 0.013). Both Mental and Physical Component Scores of the SF-12 worsened significantly during treatment discontinuation: The PCS-12 total score decreased by − 4.04 ± 7.90 from V1 to V3 (p = 0.013) and the MCS-12 score by − 2.73 ± 9.04 (p = 0.003). Changes in all questionnaires’ scores but the MCS-12 were already significant in the first month of the drug holiday (V2).

Conclusions

Our results show a significant decline in headache impact and generic HRQoL of migraine patients after treatment discontinuation of a CGRP(−R) mAb. The observed deterioration is above the established minimally clinically important differences for each of the questionnaires and can therefore be considered clinically meaningful. Monitoring HRQoL during a discontinuation attempt could facilitate the decision whether or not to resume preventive treatment with CGRP(−R) mAbs.

Erenumab for Migraine Prevention in a 1-Year Compassionate Use Program: Efficacy, Tolerability, and Differences Between Clinical Phenotypes

During a 1-year compassionate use program, 156 patients with migraine self-administered a monthly dose of erenumab 140 mg with a subcutaneous autoinjector. Main inclusion criteria were: ≥ 4 migraine days/month and ≥two prior prophylactic treatment failures. The patients covered the migraine severity spectrum from episodic migraine (EM) (n = 80) to chronic migraine (CM) (n = 76). During the 3rd month of treatment, monthly headache days decreased by 45.7% in EM and 35.5% in CM. The 50% responder rate for reduction in monthly headache days was significantly higher in EM (55%) than in CM (43%) (p = 0.05). In both the migraine subgroups, the clinical improvement vs. baseline was already significant during the 1st month of treatment (p < 0.001). There were also significant reductions in mean headache severity, duration, and monthly days with acute drug intake. The 30% responder rate at 3 months was 60% in CM and 54.1% of patients reversed from CM to EM. The therapeutic effect was maintained at 12 months when 50% responder rates, considering discontinuation for lack of efficacy or adverse effects as 0% response, still were 51% in EM and 41% in CM. A total of 10 patients with EM (12.5%) and 23 patients with CM (30.3%) had discontinued treatment, considering the treatment as ineffective. At 3 months, 48% of patients reported non-serious adverse events among which the most frequent was constipation (20.5%); corresponding figures at 12 months were 30 and 15%. Discontinuation due to an adverse effect for the entire 12 month period was rare (3.8%). The lower efficacy in CM than in EM was mainly due to a very low 50% responder rate in patients with CM with continuous pain (13%) as compared to CM with pain-free periods (58%) (p < 0.001). Similarly, the 50% responder rate was lower in patients with ≥two prior prophylactic treatment failures (40.5%) compared to those with two failures (70%) (p < 0.05). There was no significant efficacy difference between low (4-7 migraine days/month, n = 22) and high frequency (8-14 days, n = 59) EM nor between patients with CM with (n = 50) or without (n = 26) acute medication overuse. Erenumab had no effect on the frequency of auras. Taken together, erenumab 140 mg monthly was highly effective for migraine prophylaxis over the whole severity spectrum of the disease, except in patients with continuous headaches. Its effect is significant after the first injection, quasi-maximal after the second injection, and does not wear off after 12 months. The most frequent adverse effect was constipation. These results are compared to those published for erenumab in the pivotal randomized placebo-controlled trials and to those reported in several recent real-world studies.

Real-world evidence data on the monoclonal antibody erenumab in migraine prevention: perspectives of treating physicians in Germany

BACKGROUND

Erenumab, the first-in-class fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor, was shown to be efficacious and safe for the prophylactic treatment of migraine in adults in randomized clinical trials. Large-scale, real-world evidence in multi-centre settings is still needed to confirm these results. Erenumab patient profiles outside clinical trials and physicians' treatment patterns, as well as data from patients treated in Germany, a severely impacted population, are not published yet.

METHODS

TELESCOPE was a multi-centre survey gathering real-world data from 45 German headache centres between July 2019 and December 2019. The project consisted of two parts. In the first part, treating physicians shared their experiences on current erenumab treatment with regard to patient profiles, treatment patterns and treatment responses. In the second part, a retrospective chart review was conducted of 542 migraine patients treated with erenumab for at least three months. Treatment responses focused on various aspects of patients' quality of life.

RESULTS

The analysis of 542 patients' charts revealed that three-month treatment with erenumab significantly reduced monthly headaches, migraine and acute medication days. Furthermore, headache intensity and frequency were reduced in over 75 % and accompanying aura in 35 % of patients. The clinical global impression scale revealed a general improvement in 91 % of patients. According to the treating physicians' professional judgement, 83 % of patients responded to erenumab and 80 % were satisfied with the treatment. Physicians evaluated restricted quality of life, the number of monthly migraine days and previous, prophylactic treatments as the main components of the current patient profile for monoclonal antibody recipients. Based on the assessment of physicians, erenumab reduced migraine symptoms in 65 % and increased quality of life in more than 75 % of their patients.

CONCLUSIONS

TELESCOPE confirms positive treatment responses with erenumab shown in clinical trials in a real-world multi-centre setting. The results show consistently positive experiences of physicians utilizing erenumab in clinical practice and underline that therapy with this monoclonal antibody is effective in migraine patients, particular in those, who have failed several prophylactic therapies.

Effectiveness of dual migraine therapy with CGRP inhibitors and onabotulinumtoxinA injections: case series

AIMS

Clinical trials for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors excluded the concomitant use of onabotulinumtoxinA; thus, there is a lack of efficacy and safety data of the combined therapies. Our study aims to examine the effectiveness of CGRP inhibitors with onabotulinumtoxinA by evaluating migraine reductions in headache days and severity.

METHODS

Seventeen patients with chronic migraines were identified who had a partial or poor response to onabotulinumtoxinA, and were placed on dual therapy with a CGRP inhibitor. Patients' initial headache days and severity ratings were compared to final values taken 1-6 months after adding the CGRP inhibitor to their treatment regime. Comparisons between headache days and severity ratings prior to and during dual treatment were performed utilizing the Kruskal-Wallis test. The significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Of 17 patients (16F/1 M), n = 9 were taking fremanezumab, n = 4 were taking erenumab, and n = 4 were taking galcanezumab. Patients' average headache days per month was reduced from 27.6 ± 4.8 initially to 18.6 ± 9.4 post-treatment (p = 0.00651), and their average pain level was reduced from 8.4 ± 1.4 out of 10 to 5.4 ± 2.5 (p = 0.00074). No serious adverse side effects were reported from patients on dual therapy.

CONCLUSION

Patients with suboptimal response to onabotulinumtoxinA may benefit from CGRP inhibitors' addition to their migraine regimens. Placebo-controlled randomized studies are advised to corroborate this finding.

MAB-MIG: registry of the spanish neurological society of erenumab for migraine prevention

BACKGROUND

Erenumab was approved in Europe for migraine prevention in patients with ≥ 4 monthly migraine days (MMDs). In Spain, Novartis started a personalized managed access program, which allowed free access to erenumab before official reimbursement. The Spanish Neurological Society started a prospective registry to evaluate real-world effectiveness and tolerability, and all Spanish headache experts were invited to participate. We present their first results.

METHODS

Patients fulfilled the ICHD-3 criteria for migraine and had ≥ 4 MMDs. Sociodemographic and clinical data were registered as well as MMDs, monthly headache days, MHDs, prior and concomitant preventive treatment, medication overuse headache (MOH), migraine evolution, adverse events, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs): headache impact test (HIT-6), migraine disability assessment questionnaire (MIDAS), and patient global improvement change (PGIC). A > 50% reduction of MMDs after 12 weeks was considered as a response.

RESULTS

We included 210 patients (female 86.7%, mean age 46.4 years old) from 22 Spanish hospitals from February 2019 to June 2020. Most patients (89.5%) suffered from chronic migraine with a mean evolution of 8.6 years. MOH was present in 70% of patients, and 17.1% had migraine with aura. Patients had failed a mean of 7.8 preventive treatments at baseline (botulinum toxin type A-BoNT/A-had been used by 95.2% of patients). Most patients (67.6%) started with erenumab 70 mg. Sixty-one percent of patients were also simultaneously taking oral preventive drugs and 27.6% were getting simultaneous BoNT/A. Responder rate was 37.1% and the mean reduction of MMDs and MHDs was -6.28 and -8.6, respectively. Changes in PROs were: MIDAS: -35 points, HIT-6: -11.6 points, PIGC: 4.7 points. Predictors of good response were prior HIT-6 score < 80 points (p = 0.01), ≤ 5 prior preventive treatment failures (p = 0.026), absence of MOH (p = 0.039), and simultaneous BoNT/A treatment (p < 0.001). Twenty percent of patients had an adverse event, but only two of them were severe (0.9%), which led to treatment discontinuation. Mild constipation was the most frequent adverse event (8.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

In real-life, in a personalized managed access program, erenumab shows a good effectiveness profile and an excellent tolerability in migraine prevention in our cohort of refractory patients.

OnabotulinumtoxinA for the prophylactic treatment of headaches in adult patients with chronic migraine: a safety evaluation

Introduction: Existing oral prophylaxis for chronic migraine (CM) are often ineffective or poorly tolerated. OnabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA) is approved for headache prophylaxis in CM and ameliorates headaches in patients refractory to multiple preventatives.Areas covered: We appraise evidence regarding action mechanisms, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics of onabotA in CM prophylaxis. We critically evaluate salient clinical and real-world studies demonstrating its efficacy in improving multiple aspects of CM. We discuss onabotA safety, tolerability, and adverse events (AEs) for CM prophylaxis from clinical trials, post-authorization studies and meta-analyses, including novel pregnancy safety data and comparisons with oral prophylactics. We explore areas of future interest, particularly onabotA safety and efficacy in the context of novel antibody-based prophylaxis.Expert opinion: Clinical and real-world evidence demonstrate onabotA safety, tolerability and efficacy for CM prophylaxis. Most AEs are mild/moderate and self-limiting, with few serious AEs and no treatment-related deaths. Common AEs include neck pain, ptosis, muscle weakness, and stiffness. Modifying existing responder-criteria enables more patients to benefit from onabotA. OnabotA shows superior safety and efficacy to oral preventatives, and appears safe in pregnancy. Future pregnancy-risk register will clarify pregnancy and lactation safety further. Future research comparing onabotA safety and efficacy with newly emergent antibody-based prophylaxis is keenly awaited.

Impact of a 12-week open-label placebo treatment on headache days in episodic and chronic migraine: a study protocol for a parallel-group, multicentre, randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Migraine is the most common neurological disorder and one of the major causes of years lived with disability. Its treatment (especially of chronic forms) is often challenging and accompanied with adverse effects. Although new therapeutic approaches have recently emerged (eg, calcitonin gene-related peptide antibodies), these are linked to strict prescribing guidelines and therefore limited to only a minority of patients. Recently, randomised controlled trials have demonstrated that open-label placebo treatments can lead to significant and clinically relevant improvements of chronic pain conditions.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This multicentre, randomised controlled clinical trial following a parallel group between-subject design aims to systematically investigate the impact of a 12-week open-label placebo treatment on moderate to severe headache days (primary outcome) in patients with episodic and chronic migraine in addition to treatment as usual. Secondary outcomes comprise the number of migraine days, pain intensity, intake of acute medication, quality of life, disability, global impression of change, tolerability and a responder rate. To systematically address potential predictors of placebo responses in patients with migraine, this study assesses potential psychometric predictors, salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase awakening responses, catechol-o-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphisms, as well as functional and structural brain connectivity (ie, resting state functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging). The data analysis will be performed on basis of the general linear model considering repeated measures (mixed model).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This protocol and all corresponding documents were approved with regard to their content and compliance with ethical regulations by the Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of the University Duisburg-Essen, Germany and the Ethics Committee of the Landesärztekammer Hessen. The results from this study will be actively disseminated through manuscript publications and conference presentations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00021259).

Safety and tolerability of preventive treatment options for chronic migraine

INTRODUCTION

Relative to migraine generally, chronic migraine (CM) imposes greater disability, healthcare utilization and socioeconomic burden. Six therapies currently possess a credible evidence base for prevention/suppression of CM. This review is intended to provide an assessment of their relative utility, defined as a blend of safety, tolerability and efficacy, focusing in particular on their safety and tolerability.Areas Covered: We discuss all six medications currently FDA-approved for migraine prevention which also specifically possess credible evidence of efficacy in treating CM. While we do address the efficacy of each, our primary emphasis involves assessment of safety and tolerability data derived from clinical trials and post-marketing experience.Expert Opinion: Recent research involving CM has led to the identification of highly targeted and typically well-tolerated therapies. For patients who experience obstacles to accessing these newer therapies, topiramate is available as an evidence-based alternative, but contraindications, drug-drug interactions and poor tolerability may limit or prevent its use. Although data to support such intervention presently is limited, clinically challenging CM cases may benefit from combination therapy. 'Real world' studies are needed to evaluate such polytherapy, along with studies intended to assess the long-term safety of the individual therapies and their use during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Impact of erenumab on acute medication usage and health care resource utilization among migraine patients: a US claims database study

BACKGROUND

Migraine is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Erenumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor. This study aimed to evaluate real-world evidence on the impact of erenumab on acute medication usage and health care resource utilization (HCRU) among migraine patients.

METHODS

This retrospective effectiveness study utilized the US Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart database to identify migraine patients initiating erenumab between May 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019. Patients had to be at least 18 years old, with a minimum of three doses for erenumab in the 6-month post-index period and continuous medical/pharmacy coverage in the 12-month pre- and 6-month post-index period. The date of the first claim for erenumab served as the index date. Use of acute medications overall and at different drug class level, and HCRU were compared during the 6-month pre- vs. post-index period. Impact of erenumab on a composite endpoint of three possible events: 1) outpatient visit with a diagnosis of migraine and an associated acute medication claim within 7 days of the visit, 2) hospital admission with a primary diagnosis for migraine, or 3) emergency room visit with a primary diagnosis for migraine (any events that occurred ≤3 days apart were counted only once) was also evaluated.

RESULTS

The analysis included 3171 identified patients. At 6 months, following initiation of erenumab, acute medication use including the number of types of acute medication, number of claims of each medication and % of patients who received acute medication, and HCRU were significantly decreased. For the composite outcome, the mean number of events decreased from 1.03 to 0.77 (rate ratio: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.71 to 0.79; P < 0.0001). A decrease in the proportion of patients with any of the three events was also observed (52.7% vs. 39.5%, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

In this retrospective analysis, erenumab was associated with significantly reduced acute medication use and HCRU in a real-world setting, hence significantly reducing the burden of the disease. A composite endpoint could be used as a proxy to evaluate the burden of migraine attacks; however, further research is needed.