More than 6 million Brits suffer excruciating migraines to get first targeted drug

Following drug approval Rimegepant, NHS to offer first dedicated oral migraine treatment to over six million people suffering from excruciating headaches

A new migraine drug is about to be administered by the NHS(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Millions of people with regular migraines could be offered the first ever dedicated oral treatment on the NHS.

More than six million Britons suffer from ‘episodic migraines’ with at least four severe headaches a month.



Until now, they were offered medications for other related conditions — such as beta blockers, antidepressants and epilepsy drugs — or injections.

Now the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved in England a drug called Rimegepant that is taken as a wafer that dissolves under the tongue.

It works by blocking the release of a protein around the brain called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) that causes intense inflammation in the coverings of the brain.

More than six million Brits suffer from ‘episodic migraine’(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

About 150,000 patients with episodic migraine, in whom at least three previous treatments have failed, will be offered the drug.

Helen Knight, Director of Medicines Evaluation at NICE, said: “Every year the lives of millions of people in England are ruined by migraine attacks.

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