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Rimegepant is the first drug for the acute treatment of migraine in adults to be recommended by NICE.
The draft guidance recommends rimegepant (also called Vydura and made by Pfizer) for adults who have tried at least 2 triptans – a group of medicines used to treat migraine or headache – but they didn’t work well enough.
The clinical trial evidence shows that rimegepant is more likely to reduce pain at two hours than a dummy drug. It works by stopping the release of a protein around the brain called calcitonin gene-related peptide that is believed to be responsible for the severe pain associated with migraine attacks.
Rimegepant only NICE-recommended drug for acute migraines
Currently, when triptans are ineffective, not tolerated, or contraindicated, there is no further standard treatment and people are advised to see a migraine specialist. But there are a limited number of headache centres in the UK and there are long waiting lists.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said: “This is the first and only NICE-recommended medicine that can help alleviate the misery of acute migraines, and may be considered a step-change in treatment.
“Migraine is a condition described in comments to NICE from carers and people with migraine as an invisible disability that affects all aspects of life including work, education, finances, mental health, social activities, and family.”
NICE expects to publish its final recommendations on rimegepant in October.