Fremanezumab helps prevent chronic migraine and improve QOL, claims study

Fremanezumab, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets calcitonin gene–related peptide, has been approved for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults. CM and depression are highly comorbid.Researchers aimed to evaluate the efficacy of fremanezumab in patients with chronic migraine (CM) and moderate to severe depression.

For the study design, the 12-week, Phase 3 HALO trial randomized patients with CM to fremanezumab quarterly (675 mg/placebo/placebo), fremanezumab monthly (675/225/225 mg), or placebo was selected. Post hoc analyses evaluated the effects of fremanezumab in patients with moderate to severe depression (baseline 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire sum score ≥10) on monthly number of headache days of at least moderate severity; monthly migraine days; Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC); 6-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) scores; and depression.

Results put forth some key facts.

• For the 219/1121 (19.5%) patients with moderate to severe depression at baseline, fremanezumab was associated with a significant reduction in monthly number of headache days of at least moderate severity for active treatment versus placebo (least-squares mean change ± standard error for quarterly dosing: −5.3 ± 0.77; for monthly dosing: −5.5 ± 0.72; and for placebo: −2.2 ± 0.81; both p < 0.001).
• More patients achieved a ≥50% reduction in headache days of at least moderate severity with fremanezumab (quarterly: 31/78 [39.7%]; monthly: 39/96 [40.6%]) than placebo (9/67 [13.4%]; both p < 0.001).
• Compared with placebo, fremanezumab improved PGIC and HIT-6 scores.

" Fremanezumab demonstrated a significant treatment benefit over placebo in reducing the monthly average number of headache days of at least moderate severity and migraine days in patients with CM and comorbid moderate to severe depression. Greater improvements in HRQoL, headache impact, and patient-reported overall health status were also seen with fremanezumab than with placebo. Fremanezumab may benefit patients with migraine and comorbid depression by reducing the frequency of migraine and headache days, decreasing disability, and improving HRQoL."the team opined.

For full article follow the link: https://doi.org/10.1111/head.14097

Source: Headache