Safety and efficacy of erenumab for preventive treatment of chronic migraine: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial

This study (n=667) reports erenumab 70mg and 140mg reduced monthly migraine days vs placebo (both doses −6.6 days vs placebo −4.2 days; difference −2.5, p<0.0001). Erenumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody against the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP).

Patients were randomised to receive subcutaneous placebo, erenumab 70 mg, or erenumab 140 mg, given every 4 weeks for 12 weeks.

 

In a related editorial, the authors comment that future studies of erenumab should investigate longer-term efficacy and safety and the optimum dose for clinical practice, considering that the 70 mg and 140 mg doses proved similar in the short-term protocol. Treatment costs versus reduction of costs linked to migraine improvement also deserve consideration.

 

Erenumab is the first monoclonal antibody currently under phase III investigation for migraine prophylaxis.