Do you suffer from regular migraines? If so, you are not alone. Migraines are an incredibly common condition, affecting approximately 39 million people in the U.S. and 1 billion around the world.
What is a migraine?
A migraine is an intense headache, which can vary in severity. It usually involves a throbbing pain on one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea and/or sensitivity to light and noise.
The third most common illness in the world, migraines can vary in length, but typically last between 4 to 72 hours if not treated. Because of their length and severity, they can be extremely debilitating, especially for chronic sufferers who may experience 15 or more episodes each month.
While the cause of migraines is not fully understood, a number of environmental triggers have been identified, including stress, alcohol, certain foods, and even the weather. For many patients, identifying and avoiding triggers can play an important role in reducing occurrences.
Medication is also frequently used to treat and prevent migraines. Abortive treatments are used to alleviate pain when episodes occur, while preventative medications are taken preemptively by chronic sufferers to reduce symptoms or the frequency of attacks.
When it comes to bringing increasingly effective treatments to market, clinical trials are key.
Advancing migraine research through clinical trials
Through dozens of clinical trials, MedVadis Research has made meaningful contributions to the body of modern health care knowledge, particularly in the area of migraine treatment.
In the 90s, a class of abortive migraine medications called ‘triptans’ became available. Clinical trials at MedVadis Research studied nine of those medications, of which, ultimately, seven were approved by the FDA and became available for general use.
The seven abortive migraine medications are almotriptan (Axert®), eletriptan (Relpax®), naratriptan (Amerge®), rizatriptan (Maxalt®), sumatriptan (Imitrex®), Frovatriptan - Frova, and zolmitriptan (Zomig®).
Similarly, MedVadis Research trials featuring so-called CGRP monoclonal antibodies for migraine prevention helped all four “biologics” receive FDA approval and became available for general use within six years. The four CGRP antibodies are eptinezumab (Vyepti®), erenumab (Aimovig®), fremanezumab (Ajovy®), and galcanezuab (Emgality®).
The triptans and the CGRP antibodies currently constitute the mainstay of migraine management.
Join a clinical trial
Do you suffer from migraines? You may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial through MedVadis Research. We are currently recruiting volunteers for Boston area trials for chronic migraines, episodic migraines, and pediatric migraines.
In addition to advancing migraine care for patients around the world, trial volunteers receive a number of benefits for their participation, such as preventative health screenings and access to advanced treatments that are not yet available to the general public.
