New drugs for the prevention and treatment of migraine: topiramate and BIBN 4096 BS.

Migraine is one of the leading causes of disability. Topiramate has multiple mechanisms and may reduce neurotransmission through the trigeminocervical complex to prevent migraine. In clinical trials for the prevention of migraine, the mean monthly migraine frequency decreased from 5.6 to 4.5 in the placebo group and larger decreases were observed with topiramate (100 mg/day, 5.8 to 3.5; 200 mg/day, 5.1 to 3.0). However, topiramate use is associated with a high incidence of adverse events (paraesthesia, fatigue, anorexia, diarrhoea), which may limit the willingness of patients to use topiramate for the prevention of migraine. BIBN 4096 BS is a non-peptide calcitonin gene-related peptide-receptor antagonist that has recently been trialled in migraine attacks. The primary efficacy end point was the reduction of severe or moderate headache prior to treatment to mild or no headache at 2 h. This endpoint was achieved in 21 of 32 (66%) patients with BIBN 4096 BS 2.5 mg, compared to 27% of patients given placebo. Although BIBN 4096 BS is a non-peptide, it is still administered intravenously, which will probably limit its use to medical centres.