A Review of Monoclonal Antibody Therapies and Other Preventative Treatments in Migraine

Monoclonal antibodies targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide pathway represent a new class of mechanism-specific, migraine-targeted therapies available for migraine prevention. To date, four monoclonal antibodies have demonstrated efficacy in phase II and III trials, significantly reducing migraine days per month versus placebo with rapid onset of action. While their efficacy may be considered similar to existing preventive options, their true value may lie in an improved tolerability profile, with high specificity and selectivity for the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor or ligand reducing the potential for off-target binding and toxicity. The infrequent parenteral administration of these therapeutic proteins, and lack of requirement for dose titration, has potential to simplify treatment selection and use for clinicians and patients. However, the treatments have not yet been tested in real-world settings in patients with the range of comorbid conditions encountered in routine clinical practice, and longer-term data on safety, efficacy, and treatment persistence are required. If data from real-world settings can confirm the initial clinical trial findings, it is hoped that antibodies antagonizing the calcitonin gene-related peptide pathway will be able to improve quality of life for patients with episodic and chronic migraine, and help relieve the huge patient and societal burden of migraine. Novel treatments designed to target the specific pathophysiology of migraine could have an important place in future migraine management.