Pfizer Philippines today announces the availability of Rimegepant, a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist for both the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura and the preventive migraine treatment of episodic migraine in adults who have at least four migraine attacks per month. There are approximately 12 million people living with migraine in the Philippines and one of the leading cause of disability worldwide. Migraine disproportionately affects women, occurring two to three times more common in females than in males.
“We at Pfizer take pride in bringing our breakthrough anti-migraine treatment in the country today as we believe migraine is not just a headache but a chronic, painful disorder that takes away many days and hours that are supposed to be spent in meaningful and productive engagements. Migraine is associated with significant impact on daily living, such as work and personal activities. Based on an article published at the Journal of Headache and Pain by Haw, et al 2020 migraine poses a significant threat to work productivity in the country” said So-Myung Lim, Pfizer Philippines Country Manager.
Results from the Phase 3 study published in Lancet demonstrated that a single dose of Rimegepant provided superior pain reduction and associated symptoms of migraine at two hours compared to placebo. The prevention study, also published in Lancet, demonstrated that Rimegepant taken every other day provided superior reduction in the number of days per month with migraine in Weeks 9 –12 of the 12-week treatment period compared to placebo, that was maintained with continued dosing during the 12-month open-label extension period.
“Believe it or not, headaches are disabling! Migraine affects people in the most productive years and unable to fully enjoy their lives. The launch of a novel anti-migraine treatment such as Rimegepant in the country can be a game-changer, especially for those with incapacitating attacks of migraine. This is indeed a welcome development that we hope can provide solutions to many of our patients.” said Dr. Artemio A. Roxas Jr., President of Philippine Headache Society.
Rimegepant is approved in over 20 markets to date and now available in the Philippines. Healthcare Professionals will be able to decide how they want to prescribe Rimegepant based on the locally approved dosing.