New migraine treatment gains backing

Thursday March 12th, 2020

Up to 10,000 people in England could be offered a new anti-migraine self-injected drug, it was announced today.

The drug, fremanezumab, which targets proteins in blood vessels, is better than supportive care for patients for whom other treatments are ineffective, the regulator, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said.

Its draft guidance recommends the drug be available for patients who have unsuccessfully tried three preventative treatments.

Patients self-administer the drug by injection once a month and it targets proteins which cause swelling in the brain's vascular system, leading to migraine pain.

NICE says the treatment can be used when botulinum toxin type A has failed – but it is unclear whether the new treatment works better than botulinum.

The drug is to be offered to the NHS at a price less than its published cost of £5,000 a year.

Meindert Boysen, from NICE, said: “Chronic migraines are extremely debilitating and can significantly affect a person’s quality of life.

"We are pleased that the company has been able to work with us to address the concerns highlighted in the previous draft guidance so that we are now able to recommend fremanezumab as an option for people with chronic migraine when several other medications have failed.”

Tags: Brain & Neurology | NHS | Pain Relief | Pharmaceuticals | UK News

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