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Teva’s Ajovy becomes first drug of its kind available on NHS for prevention of chronic migraine

pharmafile | March 12, 2020 | News story | Sales and Marketing NICE, Teva, ajovy, migraine, pharma 

NICE has announced the authorisation of Teva’s anti-CGRP drug Ajovy (fremanezumab) for the prevention of chronic migraine in adult patients who have not responded to at least three prior preventive treatments.

The decision marks the availability via the NHS in England and Wales of the first preventative migraine therapy that offers quarterly and monthly options and can be self-injected with training.

“NICE’s decision to approve the use of Ajovy on the NHS in England and Wales for patients with chronic migraine is fantastic news,” commented Dr Mark Weatherall, President of the British Association for the Study of Headache. “Anyone who looks after people with chronic migraine understands just how debilitating this neurological disorder can be. We have waited a long time for this new class of drug to be made available in the NHS, but now that we can prescribe fremanezumab, I am excited to see what a difference it will make to the lives of many of my worst affected patients.”

There is a current lack of treatment options for migraine in England and Wales, with available prevention therapies such as beta blockers, anti-epileptics and anti-depressants not focusing on the molecular pathways of the disease.

Chronic migraine is classified by at least 15 headache days and eight migraine days per month for at least three months. In the UK, over 7.2 million are affected by migraine, equating to one in seven people, with women three times more likely to live with the condition than men.

“Teva is very pleased to receive this decision by NICE as we seek to expand the availability of Ajovy in the UK in an effort to ensure that patients living with migraine have access to this treatment option,” said Kim Innes, General Manager of Teva UK and Ireland. “To have the first anti-CGRP medicine approved by NICE is a great achievement for Teva. We’re committed to improving the lives of migraine patients, and believe that the introduction of Ajovy, having been designed specifically for migraine prevention and with its flexible dosing options, will bring new opportunities and improve the lives of patients struggling to control this disabling condition.”

Matt Fellows

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