Drug may halve migraine attacks for many sufferers

Migraine sufferers have hope for relief after trials show a new drug can halve the number of attacks.

About 2.7 million people in Canada suffer from migraines and there are hundreds of thousands of attacks every day for which lying in a darkened room is often the only relief.

The World Health Organization rates migraine as one of the top 10 causes of disability. It also accounts for roughly seven million working days lost annually in Canada.

The new drug, erenumab, appears to halve the number of working days lost for many patients.

The new treatment is an antibody designed to block the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor in the brain, which plays a crucial role in sparking a migraine. CGRP is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that instructs the brain to activate sensory nerves in the head and neck.

The latest trial involved 955 patients who received a monthly injection of the drug, or placebo, over 24 weeks. On average, patients injected with erenumab had three fewer migraine days each month compared to their usual average of eight days. For 50 per cent of the patients, the number of attacks was halved.

Patients treated with the drug also reported improved physical health and ability to participate in daily activities over the six-month trial period.