Patients Dissatified With Excedrin(R) Migraine Get Relief From Eletriptan 40 Mg

Market Wire, June, 2003

In an open-label study assessing the effect of eletriptan (Relpax(R)) 40 mg in patients who failed to achieve headache relief from the over-the-counter product Excedrin Migraine(R), 81% of eletriptan patients experienced significant headache relief (mild or no pain) at two-hours post dose -- a figure that rose to 91% at four hours.

At a scientific session presented at the American Headache Society's annual scientific meeting, Merle Diamond, M.D. of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago reported on a study of 110 migraine patients who had failed to achieve adequate headache relief with Excedrin Migraine in at least two-thirds of attacks in the previous 12 months.

"Seeing 2-hour headache relief rates of 81% for eletriptan patients is great, but to have 48% of this population say they were completely pain-free at two hours is very impressive," Dr. Diamond said, "and most of them also experienced significant relief of migraine-associated symptoms at two hours post-dose: nausea (76%), photophobia (74%) and phonophobia (80%). In addition to being highly effective, eletriptan 40mg was also well tolerated."

Sixty-five percent of patients reported that they preferred eletriptan 40 mg to previous treatments.

Relpax, Pfizer's new compound for the acute treatment of migraine, is a product in the class of drugs known as "triptans." It has been studied in clinical trials involving more than 9,000 patients and more than 70,000 migraine attacks and shown to provide relief of migraine pain and its associated symptoms of nausea and sensitivity to light and sound, to help patients get back to their lives.

The most common side effects reported in clinical trials with Relpax compared with placebo included dizziness (6% vs. 3%), nausea (5% vs. 5%), weakness (5% vs. 3%), and tiredness (6% vs. 3%). The adverse events seen with Relpax are similar to adverse events reported with triptans as a class.

As with other triptans, it is strongly recommended that Relpax not be given to patients in whom unrecognized coronary artery disease (CAD) is predicted by the presence of risk factors, unless a clinical evaluation provides evidence that the patient is free of underlying cardiovascular disease. Relpax should not be used within at least 72 hours of treatment with the following potent CYP3A4 inhibitors: ketoconazole, itraconazole, nefazondone, troleandomycin, clarithromycin, ritonavir, and nelfinavir.

It is estimated that more than 28 million Americans suffer from migraine. One study published in 1999 estimates that migraine costs American employers about $13 billion a year because of missed workdays and impaired work function. The prevalence of migraine peaks at approximately 40 years of age, making it most common during peak productive years of 25-55.

Contact: Dana Kopp Company: M Booth & Associates Voice: 646-831-3035