CGRP-Blocking Drugs: A New Class of Migraine Treatments | Research

The takeaway

Seven CGRP antagonists in development, with three already FDA-approved, show strong efficacy and safety for migraine prevention and treatment.

3 approved
FDA-approved CGRP antagonists for migraine prevention, with 4 more in development

What the researchers found

Three FDA-approved CGRP antagonists and four more in clinical development demonstrate consistent efficacy in reducing migraine attacks with favorable safety profiles.

Why it matters

Migraine affects millions and current preventive treatments often fail or cause unacceptable side effects. CGRP antagonists offer a targeted, mechanism-based approach with better tolerability.

The numbers in context

7 CGRP antagonists; 3 approved; positive Phase 3 data; fewer side effects than traditional preventives

How the study worked

Review of phase 3 clinical trial data for seven CGRP antagonists, evaluating efficacy and safety outcomes.

Who was studied

Review of Phase 3 clinical trials in migraine patients

What this study cannot tell us

Review without meta-analysis. Long-term safety data beyond clinical trial durations are still accumulating.

How to read the evidence

Review of phase 3 clinical trial data providing strong evidence for CGRP antagonist efficacy and safety.

When this study was published

Published in 2020. Since then, additional CGRP antagonists have received approval and more long-term data have become available.

The bigger picture

CGRP antagonists represent the first migraine-specific preventive medications, marking a paradigm shift from repurposed drugs to targeted therapies based on migraine neurobiology.

Questions still open

How do CGRP antagonists compare head-to-head against each other?
What are the long-term safety implications of chronic CGRP blockade?
Which patients benefit most from CGRP-targeted therapies versus existing preventives?

Common questions

What are CGRP antagonists and how do they prevent migraines?

CGRP antagonists block calcitonin gene-related peptide, a neuropeptide that plays a central role in triggering migraines. By blocking CGRP or its receptor, these drugs prevent the cascade of inflammation and pain signaling that causes migraine attacks.

Are CGRP antagonists better than older migraine drugs?

They offer a targeted approach with generally fewer side effects than repurposed medications like blood pressure drugs or antidepressants. They are particularly useful for patients who haven't responded to or couldn't tolerate existing preventive treatments.

Read the original research

Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) Antagonists and Their Use in Migraines.

Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy, 34(1), 22-31

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Henson, Brianna; Hollingsworth, Hanna; Nevois, Erika; Herndon, Chris. (2020). Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) Antagonists and Their Use in Migraines.. Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy, 34(1), 22-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/15360288.2019.1690616