On September 21, Novartis announced that the marketing application for Erenumab Injection (trade name: Aimovig) for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration.
The medication is administered through self-subcutaneous injection by the patient, with once-a-month dosing. Patients can complete the administration process within 15 seconds with simple operation, providing a more convenient disease management option for migraine sufferers. Erenumab can take effect as early as within the first week of treatment.
Novartis researchers at work. Photo provided by the company.
Migraine is a common chronic neurovascular disease, characterized by recurrent, unilateral or bilateral throbbing severe headaches, accompanied by other symptoms such as photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, and vomiting. Migraine is defined by the World Health Organization as the second leading cause of disability in humans, commonly occurring in young and middle-aged groups, with a higher incidence in women than in men.
Currently, the treatment of migraine includes acute pain relief treatment and preventive treatment. Many migraine patients often rely solely on painkillers. Long-term and excessive use of painkillers may induce more significant side effects and even cause medication-overuse headaches. Most of the previously used preventive treatment drugs were not specifically developed for migraines, which not only limits their efficacy but also causes noticeable adverse reactions and poor tolerability, leading to high rates of discontinuation. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative treatment options that can safely and effectively control migraines over the long term.
Since its first FDA approval in May 2018, Erenumab has been approved in more than 70 countries and regions worldwide, with cumulative applications exceeding 800,000 patients. In July 2022, leveraging the "Hong Kong-Macao Drug and Device Access" policy, Erenumab was introduced to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, benefiting over 100 patients.
(Operator: Jing Xue Tao)