Long-term treatment with lasmiditan in patients with migraine: Results from the open-label extension of the CENTURION randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Following the CENTURION phase 3 randomized controlled trial's four-month double-blind phase, this 12-month open-label extension collected data for up to one year about dose optimization, patterns of use, migraine-related disability, and quality of life during lasmiditan treatment. METHODS: Migraine patients ≥18 years completing the double-blind phase and treating ≥3 migraine attacks could continue into the 12-month open-label extension. The initial oral lasmiditan dose was 100 mg; the dose could subsequently be adjusted to 50 mg or 200 mg at the investigator's discretion. RESULTS: 477 patients entered and 321 (72.1%) completed the extension; 445 (93.3%) treated ≥1 attack with lasmiditan. Of 11,327 attacks, 8654 (76.4%) were lasmiditan-treated (84.9% of these involved moderate or severe pain). By study end, 17.8%, 58.7%, and 23.4% of patients were taking lasmiditan 50, 100, and 200 mg, respectively. Mean improvements were observed in disability and quality of life. The most common treatment-emergent adverse event was dizziness (35.7% of patients, 9.5% of attacks). CONCLUSIONS: During this 12-month extension, lasmiditan was associated with a high rate of study completion, most attacks were treated with lasmiditan, and patients reported improvements in migraine-related disability and quality of life. No new safety findings were observed with longer exposure.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03670810); European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials Database (EUDRA CT: 2018-001661-17).

Headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination and the impact on primary headache disorders of the COVID-19 pandemic: A comprehensive review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to summarize the knowledge on the epidemiology, pathophysiology and management of secondary headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination; as well as to delineate their impact on primary headache disorders. METHODS: This is a narrative review of the literature regarding primary and secondary headache disorders in the setting of COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a literature search in 2022 on PubMed, with the keywords "COVID 19" or "vaccine" and "headache" to assess the appropriateness of all published articles for their inclusion in the review. RESULTS: Headache is a common and sometimes difficult-to-treat symptom of both the acute and post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Different pathophysiological mechanisms may be involved, with the trigeminovascular system as a plausible target. Specific evidence-based effective therapeutic options are lacking at present. Headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations is also common, its pathophysiology being unclear. People with primary headache disorders experience headache in the acute phase of COVID-19 and after vaccination more commonly than the general population. Pandemic measures, forcing lifestyle changes, seemed to have had a positive impact on migraine, and changes in headache care (telemedicine) have been effectively introduced. CONCLUSIONS: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge, having an impact on the development of secondary headaches, both in people with or without primary headaches. This has created opportunities to better understand and treat headache and to potentiate strategies to manage patients and ensure care.

Safety and efficacy of eptinezumab for migraine prevention in patients with two-to-four previous preventive treatment failures (DELIVER): a multi-arm, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3b trial.

BACKGROUND: The monoclonal antibody eptinezumab, which targets calcitonin gene-related peptide, has shown migraine preventive effects starting the day following infusion and acceptable safety and tolerability in phase 3 trials, but benefits in the subpopulations of patients with previous preventive treatment failures were not examined. We aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of eptinezumab for migraine prevention in adults with migraine and two-to-four previous preventive treatment failures. METHODS: DELIVER was a multicentre, multi-arm, phase 3b trial comprising a 24-week double-blind, placebo-controlled period and a 48-week dose-blinded extension. We recruited adults with episodic or chronic migraine with at least 4 monthly migraine days (as per International Headache Society guidelines) and documented evidence of two-to-four previous preventive treatment failures within the past 10 years, from 96 study locations across Europe (n=93) and the USA (n=3). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) via a centralised randomisation system, stratified by baseline monthly headache days and country, to eptinezumab 100 mg, eptinezumab 300 mg, or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline in mean monthly migraine days (captured using a daily electronic diary) in weeks 1-12, assessed in the full analysis set. All participants and study personnel were masked to study drug assignments. The dose-blinded extension period is ongoing. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04418765, and EudraCT, 2019-004497-25. FINDINGS: Between June 1, 2020, and Oct 7, 2021, 891 individuals were randomly assigned and received at least one dose of study drug (safety population; eptinezumab 100 mg n=299 [34%], eptinezumab 300 mg n=294 [33%], placebo n=298 [33%]). 865 patients completed the placebo-controlled period. The change from baseline to weeks 1-12 in mean monthly migraine days was -4·8 (SE 0·37) with eptinezumab 100 mg, -5·3 (0·37) with eptinezumab 300 mg, and -2·1 (0·38) with placebo. The difference from placebo in change in mean monthly migraine days from baseline was significant with eptinezumab 100 mg (-2·7 [95% CI -3·4 to -2·0]; p<0·0001) and eptinezumab 300 mg (-3·2 [-3·9 to -2·5]; p<0·0001). Treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 127 (42%) of 299 patients in the eptinezumab 100 mg group, in 120 (41%) of 294 in the eptinezumab 300 mg group, and in 119 (40%) of 298 in the placebo group. The most common treatment-emergent adverse event was COVID-19 (20 [7%] of 299 patients in the eptinezumab 100 mg group, 17 [6%] of 294 in the eptinezumab 300 mg group, and 16 [5%] of 298 in the placebo group). Serious adverse events were uncommon (five [2%] of 299 in the eptinezumab 100 mg group, seven [2%] of 294 in the eptinezumab 300 mg group, four [1%] of 298 in the placebo group) and included anaphylactic reaction (eptinezumab 300 mg n=2) and COVID-19 (eptinezumab 100 mg n=1 and eptinezumab 300 mg n=1). INTERPRETATION: In adults with migraine and two-to-four previous preventive treatment failures, eptinezumab provided significant migraine preventive effects compared with placebo, with acceptable safety and tolerability, indicating that eptinezumab might be an effective treatment option for this patient population. The dose-blinded extension period will provide additional long-term safety data in patients with migraine and previous preventive treatment failures. FUNDING: H Lundbeck.