Aimovig: A New Hope for Chronic Migraines

Aimovig is a new drug recently approved by the FDA to help adults cope with migraine headaches. The trials and testing of the drug were hopeful, and those who trialed the drug reported positive reviews and improvement of their symptoms. Aimovig acts as the newest and most recent attempt to help those who suffer from migraines. Migraine headaches have historically been tricky in treating. Aimovig, also known as Erenumab, ushers in a hopeful new method for preventing and mitigating migraine-like symptoms.

Aimovig, or Erenumab, works as a monthly injection that helps to mitigate migraine headaches to those who suffer from multiple monthly migraines. Sharma et al. (2019) describe Erenumab as a drug designed “for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults. This monoclonal antibody is given by once-monthly subcutaneous self-injections. This fully human injectable monoclonal antibody is marketed under the trade name ‘Aimovig’” (para. 7). Aimovig is the first monoclonal antibody drug to be approved for use against migraines. This self-injection is designed as a preventative measure rather than a treatment for migraines. However, the results in the testing phases were extremely promising for those who suffer from multiple migraines a month. These results have those involved with the drug or healthcare professionals who help to treat migraines very excited regarding the drug and the results. Aimovig has successfully mitigated and improved the quality of life for those who suffer from chronic migraines.

Aimovig consistently performed well in the trials of the drug. Spasov et al. (2019) state that “while taking Erenumab, the average number of days with migraines per month in patients decreased by half” (p. 77) This is a staggering improvement. The drug administered once a month with no other lifestyle changes decreased the number of headaches for those with chronic migraines. This improvement illustrates the effectiveness of the drug and the optimism of the manufacturers in helping chronic migraine patients. Reducing the number of migraines by half is a drastic improvement in the quality of life for those who suffer from the debilitating effects of migraine headaches. At times, those who suffer from migraines must relegate themselves into a silent, dark room for hours where they combat severe pain. The toll of these episodes is extremely taxing on the individual. While Aimovig does not completely prevent all episodes, patients will gladly except any improvement at all. The matter of testing was an important factor in measuring the effectiveness of the drug.

Aimovig was administered in two different doses to two different test groups, with a third group taking a placebo. Lambru, Andreou, Guglielmetti, and Martelletti (2018) comment on “the superiority of both doses of Erenumab compared to placebo in reduction of migraine days and responder rate” (p. 6). While both doses of Aimovig brought about drastic improvements, the two doses did not have drastic results amongst each other. The two doses were 70 and 140 mg injections; both brought improvement; however, the 140 mg was not drastically better than the 70 mg injection. This interesting fact illustrates the helpful nature of the drug; however, the effective dosage seems not to need to exceed 70 mg. The important fact of these tests is superior results compared to the placebo group. The improvement in cutting the migraine episodes by half is drastic and encouraging when compared to the status quo of the placebo group. However, with any drug, side effects must be taken into account.

In the testing of Aimovig, the drug was found to have fairly minor side effects. Many of the side effects consisted of irritation and inflammation around the injections site, coldness, or soreness also were found as side effects. Donnely and Hodge (2019) state that “Aimovig also had side effects of constipation and muscle cramps or spasms” (p. 5). While the spasms and cramps were much less common, some patients did not respond well to the drug. The side effects were more severe on a small number of participants. The most severe of the side effects consisted of bleeding, spasms, constipation, and cramps. Patients who responded to the drug in this way were quickly taken off. Amongst health conditions that did not respond well to the drug health professionals counsel that people with diabetes be careful in their use of Aimovig. However, due to the drastic majority of test subjects and trials responding well, manufacturers are generally optimistic and excited regarding Aimovig.

Due to the successful trials, health professionals provide high praise and hope for the drug Aimovig. King et al. (2019) “[t]he high potency and exquisite specificity of Erenumab were key in this successful development in the clinic as the first FDA approved antibody therapy for the prevention of migraine” (p. E). Excitement is brewing around the healthcare world regarding Aimovig. The drug can help prevent individuals who have a crippling problem that affects their everyday life. The drug is only for adults; however, the hope is that more drugs can be developed in the same vein to help children and young adults bring about the prevention of migraines. Aimovig provides hope for the future in treatment of migraine headaches. Aimovig is the first drug of its kind in migraine relief; therefore, future drugs based around the same migraine research are on the horizon that will hopefully continue to improve the overall quality of life for people all over the world. In the future, hopefully expansion will be available.

Aimovig is currently being provided for adults with consistent chronic migraines. Chaplin (2019) states that “Erenumab is currently being appraised by NICE for the prevention of migraine in patients who have at least four migraine days per month and in whom at least three previous treatments have failed” (p. 39). Currently, there exist other treatments to try to help patients with migraines. Due to the new nature of Aimovig the drug is being used on mostly those who have not had improvement from other treatments. In time, Aimovig will hopefully prove to be a drastic improvement in the lives of those with chronic migraines. As further tests and results are seen, Aimovig will grow in popularity, and patients will reap the benefits of having their episodes cut in half each month. The statistics cannot be argued with as the empirical data is strong in favor of the drug. Aimovig has proven through trials and production phases that it can be an effective drug in mitigating migraines and migraine-like systems. This is a positive step with revolutionary tactics that healthcare professionals hope will lead to future treatments for migraines.

Aimovig is an exciting step in prevention for future treatments of migraines. Aimovig is the first monoclonal antibody to be used in the treatment of migraines. The exciting results and positive response by testing is a step in the right direction for the treatment of migraines. While rarely side effects can be serious, the majority of testers were found to respond well to the drug. Side effects can rarely be serious, and the administration of the drug if side effects persist. Aimovig is a monthly injection that is self-administered. This injection can improve the quality of life for people all over the world who suffer from debilitating migraine headaches. Currently, the drug is being used for chronic migraine patients that have not received migraine headache relief from any other treatment. However, the future of migraine prevention could very well be down this new revolutionary road of which Aimovig is the first step. Migraine prevention can bless the lives of millions and is an exciting development in the manufacturing of a quality drug that is helpful and useful in treating a severe problem.

References

Chaplin, S. (2019). Erenumab: A monoclonal antibody for migraine prophylaxis. Prescriber, 30(3), 38-39.

Donnelly, M., & Hodge, S. (2019). Overview of selected novel drugs approved in 2018. Annual Review of Changes in Healthcare, 3(1).

King, C. T., Gegg, C. V., Hu, S. N.-Y., Lu, H. S., Chan, B. M., Berry, K. A., … Xu, C. (2019). Discovery of the migraine prevention therapeutic Aimovig (Erenumab), the first FDA-approved antibody against a g-protein-coupled receptor. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science. doi: 10.1021/acsptsci.9b00061

Lambru, G., Andreou, A. P., Guglielmetti, M., & Martelletti, P. (2018). Emerging drugs for migraine treatment: An update. Expert Opinion on Emerging Drugs, 23(4), 301-318.

Sharma, D., Sharma, N., Advani, U., Sharma, P., & Prakash, R. (2019). A novel treatment option for patients suffering from migraines: Erenumab. International Journal of Academic Medicine, 5(2), 100.

Spasov, A. A., Yakovlev, D. S., Brigadirova, A. A., Maltsev, D. V., & Agatsarskaya, Y. V. (2019). Novel approaches to the development of antimigraine drugs: A focus on 5-HT 2A receptor antagonists. Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 45(2), 76-88.