serotonin receptor agonist Archives - Headache and Migraine News

serotonin receptor agonist

17 February 2015

Whatever Happened to Lasmiditan?

We last talked about Lasmiditan in 2012, with hopes that it would be on the market by now. But although a lot of money is being invested, and trials are still ongoing, it’s not likely we’ll see Lasmiditan for migraine until 2018 or later.
CoLucid
Lasmiditan is a migraine abortive and a serotonin receptor agonist, like triptans. But unlike triptans, it doesn’t seem to cause vasoconstriction – very important for those at risk of stroke and heart disease.

Lasmiditan is going to undergo phase III trials, further investigating the drugs ability to fight headache, nausea, photophobia and phonophobia. The company, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, also has permission from the FDA to include some patients who have some cardiovascular risk factors.

Another future trial will be a pediatric study.

Lasmiditan remains a very promising migraine drug, which may be a major alternative to the familiar triptan medications. But we’ll probably be waiting until 2018 before most of us will have a chance to use it.

For more, see Emerging therapeutic options for acute migraine: focus on the potential of lasmiditan

6 March 2012

Coming Migraine Treatment: Lasmiditan

James Medications, News 1

Lasmiditan is a new drug that is being investigated for the treatment of migraine attacks. It’s in a new class of drugs known as ditans, which are serotonin receptor agonists that selectively bind to the 5-HT1F receptor.

Lasmiditan has been the subject of numerous studies already. The advantage of Lasmiditan is that it doesn’t seem to constrict blood vessels, and there have been no reports of cardiovascular effects or chest symptoms. This is very important because of the increased risk that migrainuers already have for heart issues and stroke. Those in particular who can’t take triptan drugs may find relief with Lasmiditan.

Like the very popular triptan class of drugs, Lasmiditan would be taken for a specific migraine attack.

Recent trials showed significant improvement in migraine patients over a placebo. Over 60% of headaches were reduced to nothing or almost nothing within 2 hours. Sensitivity to light and sound were also significantly reduced. Interestingly, nausea was also reduced, but this took more time.

The company that is testing Lasmiditan, CoLucid, is planning trials throughout 2012, 2013 and 2014, hoping to have a product ready for 2014. Already, a recent survey in the USA suggested that 10% or neurologists would prescribe Lasmiditan. As you might imagine, the financial experts are keeping an eye on statistics like these, in the highly competitive world of migraine medication.

This is what CoLucid has to say about the drug:

Lasmiditan is a first-in-class Neurally Acting Anti-Migraine Agent (NAAMA) designed to deliver efficacy in migraine without the vasoconstrictor activity associated with previous generations of migraine therapies. Lasmiditan is a member of a novel chemical class called "ditans" and, unlike triptans, penetrates the central nervous system (CNS) and selectively targets 5-HT1F receptors expressed in the trigeminal pathway. Lasmiditan does not interact with vasoconstrictor 5-HT1B/1D receptors activated by triptans.