New migraine prevention drug faces competition

While Teva Pharmaceutical’s new migraine prevention drug is unique, it faces competition from another major migraine treatment.

FDA recently approved fremanezumab-vfrm (Ajovy)  injection, the first and only anti calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor (CGRP-R) treatment for the prevention of migraine with quarterly and monthly dosing options, Teva said in a statement.

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However, erenumab-aooe (Aimovig, Amgen), was approved in May as the first anti-CGRP-R drug. Aimovig is self-administered once monthly via Amgen's device, the SureClick autoinjector.

Available at retail and specialty pharmacies in early October, the Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) of Ajovy is $575 per monthly dose and $1,725 per quarterly dose.

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“About 40% of people living with migraine may be appropriate candidates for preventive treatment, yet the majority of them are untreated. I am pleased to have another treatment option that may allow my patients to experience fewer monthly migraine days,” said Stephen Silberstein, MD, director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and lead investigator of the phase 3 clinical trial program for Ajovy, in a Teva statement.

“With limited availability of preventive treatment options, Ajovy provides physicians with an important new option for their patients,” said Hafrun Fridriksdottir, executive vice president of Global R&D at Teva.

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