Migraines can be debilitating and impact many aspects of daily life, such as work, school, and social activities. For those who suffer from migraines, relief can be hard to come by, especially when traditional oral medications don't work or cause unwanted side effects. However, a clinical trial has shown promise in providing a new treatment option for migraines.
Clinical Trial
The trial tested a nasal spray called Zavegepant, which is a small molecule calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist. CGRP is a protein that is involved in the development of migraines, and the nasal spray works by blocking the receptors that CGRP binds to. This ultimately leads to a reduction in migraine symptoms.
The trial involved 1,405 participants who suffered from two to eight moderate or severe migraine attacks per month. Participants were randomly assigned to either receive the Zavegepant nasal spray or a placebo. They then self-treated a single migraine attack of moderate or severe pain intensity.
Results
The results of the trial showed that two hours after taking the treatment dose, more participants in the Zavegepant group were pain-free and had freedom from their most bothersome symptoms compared to the placebo group. Specifically, 24% of participants in the Zavegepant group were pain-free compared to 15% in the placebo group. Additionally, 40% of participants in the Zavegepant group had freedom from their most bothersome symptom compared to 31% in the placebo group.