Migraine Market to Exceed $11 Billion in 2024 as Multinational Pharma Giants Race to Launch Innovative Therapies

　　【Pharmaceutical Network Industry DynamicsMigraine is a common chronic disease with high disability, seriously affecting the quality of life of patients. The market for this disease is worth billions of dollars, and analysis institutions predict that driven by increasing patient demand and the successive launches of innovative drugs, the scale of the migraine market may exceed 11 billion US dollars in 2024.
 

Facing a considerable market space, the field of migraine treatment has become a hotspot for multinational pharmaceutical companies to "mine gold." On January 26, Pfizer announced that its next-generation specific migraine treatment drug "Rimegepant Orally Disintegrating Tablets" had been approved by the China National Medical Products Administration for the acute treatment of migraines with or without aura in adults.
 

Reportedly, Rimegepant Orally Disintegrating Tablets are a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist that utilizes orally disintegrating tablet technology. It can block key pathways related to the onset of migraines, providing rapid and sustained relief from headaches and associated symptoms. The administration is convenient, with no contraindications for cardiovascular diseases or similar effects.
 

Pfizer acquired Biohaven Ltd. for approximately $11.6 billion in May 2022, adding this product to its portfolio to expand its migraine pipeline.
 

It is reported that, in addition to being approved for marketing in China, the Rimegepant Orally Disintegrating Tablet was approved by the U.S. FDA for marketing as early as 2020, for the acute treatment of migraine attacks in adults.
 

Data shows that the global sales of Rimegepant Orally Disintegrating Tablets in 2022 were $531 million, contributing $167 million in revenue to Pfizer in the first quarter of 2023. In addition to this product, Pfizer also has a nasal spray for the treatment of acute migraine in adults, Zavzpret (Zavegepant), which was approved for marketing in the United States in March 2023 and is about to begin clinical trials in China.
 

Currently, in the field of migraine treatment, Eli Lilly and Company has directly confronted Pfizer. Its injectable migraine drug galcanezumab-gnlm (Emgality), developed by Eli Lilly, is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which has received FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation. CGRP is a potent vasodilatory neuropeptide, and its release levels significantly increase during migraine attacks. Inhibiting the activity of CGRP and its receptor (CGRPR) can alleviate headaches and prevent migraine attacks.
 

According to reports, Emgality was approved by the FDA for marketing in 2018 and has since been approved for the prevention of migraines in adults and the treatment of episodic cluster headaches. In the first quarter of 2023, Emgality generated sales of $154.3 million for Eli Lilly, representing a 3% increase from the same period last year. However, in June 2023, Eli Lilly announced that the head-to-head clinical trial of this drug against Pfizer's Rimegepant orally disintegrating tablets had failed to meet its primary endpoint.
 

In the Chinese market, Eli Lilly's galcanezumab injection was also approved for marketing in China on January 9, 2024, for the prevention of episodic migraine in adults.
 

In addition to Eli Lilly and Pfizer, AbbVie has also entered the competition as a strong contender. The company currently owns two migraine drugs: Ubrelvy (Ubrogepant) and Qulipta (Atogepant). However, as the first-to-market CGRP receptor antagonist, Ubrelvy was also defeated by Pfizer's Nurtec ODT in head-to-head trials. Qulipta received approval from the U.S. FDA in April 2023, gaining an additional indication for the prevention of chronic migraines alongside its existing indication for episodic migraine prevention. In June 2023, AbbVie announced that Qulipta is set to launch in EU countries for the prevention of migraines in adults who experience four or more migraine days per month, including both episodic and chronic migraines.
 

It can be foreseen that the competition among multinational pharmaceutical companies in the migraine field has already begun. In the future, with more new drugs being developed and launched, it will be good news for patients in terms of both medication options and pricing.
 

Disclaimer: In any case, the information or opinions expressed in this article do not constitute investment advice to any person.