MORE: Pfizer, BioNTech launch phase 1 trial on combined COVID-19 and flu vaccine The nasal spray is far more appealing," Mullin said. "If you have the option of a nasal spray or an injection to stop your headache and you're already miserable, doing an injection is the last thing you want to do. A nasal spray helps bypass the gut altogether to optimize absorption," Mullin told ABC News.Ĭurrently, the other non-pill rapid migraine relief medications on the market are in injection form and a nasal spray, but those are a class of medication known as triptans. Your gut pretty much falls asleep and is not in a place to absorb medications effectively for many migraine sufferers. "You can't absorb oral medications when you've got what's called gastroparesis of migraine. Kate Mullin, a board-certified neurologist at the New England Institute for Neurology and Headache who helped conduct the trial for Zavzpret. By the time you take a pill, it's often too late to quash a migraine because the digestive system shuts down, said Dr. Zavzpret works by blocking CGRP's signals, according to Pfizer.Īt least 60% of migraine sufferers also experience nausea, making pills difficult to swallow. CGRP, short for calcitonin gene-related peptide, is a chemical messenger in the brain that plays a role in pain modulation and inflammation. The faster we can bring relief to people suffering with a migraine attack, the sooner we can give them back that lost time," Croll told ABC News.Īccording to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, migraines are a type of headache caused by activation of nerve fibers in the wall of brain blood vessels that cause recurrent attacks of moderate to severe throbbing and pulsating pain. "They often interfere with daily functioning, keeping patients away from their work and unable to enjoy time with their loved ones. Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from migraines, according to the National Headache Foundation. Leah Croll, a board-certified neurologist at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. Migraines are one of the most common debilitating medical conditions, said Dr. The drug has shown in clinical trial data to provide rapid pain relief in as fast as 15 minutes for migraine sufferers, with relief lasting up to 48 hours, Pfizer said. Food and Drug Administration has approved Pfizer's newest drug on the migraine market, Zavzpret (zavegepant) - the first and only migraine treatment of its kind to be offered in nasal spray.
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