Abstract

To date, the prophylactic treatment of migraine has included only nonspecific drugs of various pharmacological groups: the beta-blockers propranolol and metoprolol, the anticonvulsants topiramate and valproic acid, the antidepressants amitriptyline and venlafaxine, candesartan, and Ona botulinum toxin A. As these drugs were developed for treatment of other diseases, their use was associated with adverse effects: decreased blood pressure, mental retardation, weight increase, nausea, and some others. CGRP is a neuropeptide that was regarded as the main biomarker of migraine as its level in this disease rise. The emergence of humanized monoclonal antibodies has opened up the possibility of blocking the action of CGRP and developing a new class of drugs that includes fremanezumab, erenumab, galcanezumab, and eptinezumab. Anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies can be prescribed to patients with chronic and episodic migraine. The use of anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies in clinical studies was associated with a small number of adverse effects, with severe adverse reactions being extremely rare.

Keywords

migraine, calcitonin gene related peptide, CGRP, antibody, CGPR, calcitonin gene-related peptide, CNS, central nervous system, RAMP1, receptor activity-modifying protein 1, ????, ???-sensitive potassium channel, GI, gastrointestinal