The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Reyvow (lasmiditan) tablets for the acute treatment of migraine in adults.
The drug in question, produced by Eli Lilly, is indicated for migraine with or without aura – defined as a sensory phenomenon or visual disturbance. It is not, however, indicated for the preventive treatment of the disorder.
The approval represents the first new class of acute migraine treatment approved by the FDA in more than two decades.
Approximately one-third of individuals who suffer from migraine also experience aura shortly before the migraine, which can appear as flashing lights, zig-zag lines, or a temporary loss of vision.
“As a physician who specialises in the treatment of migraine and headache disorders, I commonly treat patients who are looking for acute treatment options that offer the chance for pain freedom during migraine attacks. This approval is especially significant because migraine pain is so often severe and incapacitating,” said Jan Brandes, assistant clinical professor, Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University.
She continued, “With new science comes new hope. Considering up to 40% of people with migraine do not get adequate responses from their initial acute treatment prescription, having a new and novel option like Reyvow is an important development for physicians and the patients we treat.”
Migraines can often be triggered by various factors including stress, hormonal changes, bright or flashing lights, lack of food or sleep, and diet, and are three times more common in women than in men.
