Vydura, Pfizer’s breakthrough migraine drug

Dream world about Salvador Dalimetaphysics captured in canvases Giorgio de Chirico or the other side of the mirror Lewis Carroll. The artistic works of these and other geniuses were inspired by migraines, a disease that, although it sometimes presents flashes of light known as auras, has little magic to it. This is a life-limiting pathology. 4 million people in Spain and 1,000 million worldwide. According to WHO, migraine is the second cause of disability and the first in women aged 15 to 49 years.

This data was presented yesterday Pfizer during a media presentation Vydura (rimegepant)“the first and only medicine” indicated for the treatment of acute migraine – with or without aura – in adults, and for the prevention of episodic migraine in adults who suffer at least 4 attacks per month.

What is migraine?

Migraine is a condition neurological, polygenic inheritance, in which certain probabilistic genes demonstrate the importance of family history when affected by it. As he explained Dr. Jesus Porta-Etessam, Head of the Department of Neurology at the Clinical Hospital of San Carlos And President of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN)Migraine affects the activation of the hypothalamus, hence the variability of symptoms due to changes in environmental pressure or longitudinal changes in light incidence.

“A number of substances are released, including the peptide CGRP, which inflame the meninges and blood vessels,” the doctor added. “The pain is throbbing, there is an external increased sensitivity to light, sounds and even colors. With such inflammation, the very fact of moving the head causes pain. It’s a very limiting pain.” Some victims experience auras, a type of light silhouettes that, in addition to the aforementioned artistic inspiration, cause many patients to go to the emergency room because they associate these “visions” with a stroke.

Certain epigenetic factors contribute to the expression of migraine. One of the most important concerns the hormonal changes of a woman during menarche. (phase before the first menstruation). Porta-Etessam noted that although the incidence of the disease reaches 12.8% of the entire population, it is a pathology with a clear gender perspective. “More than 17% of women suffer from this and only 7% of men. Moreover, symptoms are more severe and widespread in women who have to live with migraine during the most important period of their lives, key to making educational, professional and personal decisions.”

Implied

According to the head of the neurology department of the San Carlos Teaching Hospital, there is a lack of public awareness of this “labyrinth that is migraine”, and this limits the vitality of those who suffer from it and those around them. “We tend to downplay this. In universities and educational centers it is desirable to strengthen health education, which is insufficient in Spain and should go beyond the benefits of the Mediterranean diet or exercise. “It’s helpful to understand the effects of certain diseases, such as migraines or epilepsy, and how patients feel.”

Another possibility to give migraine the importance it deserves would be, in his opinion, to introduce public administration national plan. To demonstrate that migraine is not a problem that needs to be solved partially, the doctor cited a US study that showed that children of mothers with migraine are less socialized than others. “I like to say that when we improve the life of a person with migraine, we also improve the lives of their family, friends and colleagues.”

Porta-Etessam believes that for these and other reasons, migraine, as a chronic disabling disease, should have the status of other pathologies – anxiety, hypertension, depression, hypercholesterolemia – and that drugs aimed at alleviating its symptoms or limiting its incidence should have Cicero (dial , showing that we are dealing with a drug for the treatment of a chronic disease and that the patient’s financial contribution is reduced). “This lack hinders broader access to treatment.”

Underdiagnosed pathology

Migraine is an underdiagnosed disorder in approximately 40-45% of patients. “Despite everything, in Spain we are in a better situation than in other countries around us, thanks to the fact that the national health system has good primary care doctors and neurologists.” Jesus Porta-Etessam clarified that underdiagnosis is explained by various factors. “We meet patients who have always lived with this disease through other family members. “They may begin to perceive migraines as less significant than they actually are.” The doctor believes that this mistake is also made by some doctors who tend to talk about headaches instead of migraines.

Diagnosing migraines is “relatively” simple. The problem is that medical professionals do not have biological markers to confirm suspicions, as is the case with other pathologies. Photophobia, throbbing pain (feeling like the heart is beating inside the head), symptomatic worsening with activity… “Normally, two of these three elements are enough to be almost sure that it is a migraine, but we do not see this. specific analysis that determines this.”

On the positive side, advances have made it possible to treat each migraine patient individually. “It is important to know and understand your situation. An overweight, sedentary person is not the same as a journalist who regularly speaks in public, or one who vomits early during every crisis. Treatment methods vary and we try to make a custom suit. We can’t talk about personalized medicine, but it’s pretty close.”

Fool, ray of hope

Vydura (rimegepant), which is now available in Spain (and in more than 40 countries), is the first and only medicine designed to prevent and treat migraine attacks. J.Ose Chavez, Medical Director of Pfizer Spainstressed that the drug acts quickly—less than two hours—and that its benefits last up to 48 hours later.

“It blocks the action of the neuropeptide CGRP and therefore inhibits pain signaling, reduces vasodilation and neurogenic inflammation,” Chavez listed. It was Pfizer that added other benefits to Vydura. “It’s very ‘clean’ because we can hardly talk about side effects. 40% of patients reduce the number of migraine days per month by 50% or more.” He Dr. Porta-Etessam noted that in practice the results are even more encouraging because they do not have the limitations of clinical trials.

One of the problems with other migraine treatments is that some painkillers, taken in excess, cause headaches. “With the new drug, the effect is the opposite, in addition to the fact that the response to treatment does not decrease over time.” Pfizer’s drug is available on prescription and is available in an oral lyophilized form. “As a company, we are proud that all these patients will now have an innovative treatment option. Without a doubt, we will contribute to improving their quality of life,” concluded Jose Chavez.