Being tested: Inhaler for migraine
The last thing a migraine patient needs is to be poked with more needles. But research is slowly making more options available. One of the methods that is actively being tested is an inhalation system.
Alexza Pharmaceuticals is working on a system they call Staccato. The device is the size of a small cell phone. Inside is a surface that has been sprayed with the needed drug. When they patient breathes into the device, a reaction is triggered and the drug is vaporized, entering the lungs. It’s quickly absorbed – and that speed is what migraine patients need.
There are some drugs already in use (such as ZOMIG nasal spray) that are inhaled. One problem with the traditional systems, according to Alexza, is that it’s hard to get the exact right dosage. As a result, other ingredients are added to get the right rate of flow. Staccato should avoid this problem, and also get the drug into your system faster than the traditional inhalation techniques.
Much of the focus of the project has been on drugs related to mental health. However, there is interest in drugs that can be used for migraine as well. Two of the drugs now being tested fit into this category: prochlorperazine and loxapine.
Prochlorperazine has actually been used in emergency rooms for migraine for a number of years. It’s especially valued for fighting nausea. For mental health it’s used as an antipsychotic. Its brand names include Phenotil, Compazine, Buccastem and Stemetil.
Less used for migraine is loxapine, sold as Loxitane and Loxapac. Also an antipsychotic, it’s prescribed for schizophrenia. There is hope that it may be useful for some migraineurs as well.
Alexza is optimistic that both of these drugs may be able to replace triptan drugs in patients that can’t take them or don’t find them useful.
Both these drugs are in phase 2 of trial with Staccato and are soon to head into the last phase.
We’ll keep a watch on these new technologies. Anything needle-free is great for migraine – especially if it gets the medication into your system faster.
9 October 2008 @ 4:26 pm
Thank you so much for the update. This sounds like it might be very useful for my migraines. I haven’t had any success with the triptan class of drugs. I also have an unusual medical condition that keeps me from being able to take many pain relieving medications.
I would love to wean myself away from Topamax if I was more confident that there was a rescue med that would be effective for me.
I take Stadol as a rescue med of last resort now but the side effects are debilitating. What are the known side effects of these drugs?
1 November 2009 @ 4:08 pm
as far as side effects go why don’t you wiki them. and I am surprised you are prescribed such a strong narcotic as a rescue med