Ubrelvy – Fast Facts about the New Migraine Drug

Just over 2 weeks ago, the FDA approved a brand new migraine drug – Ubrelvy – and it really is different than the other drugs that have been approved recently, although there are some similarities.

We’ve been talking about this drug for a long time, under the generic name ubrogepant (previously MK-1602). But now that it’s approved in the USA, here’s the most important information to be aware of.

• Name: Ubrelvy (ubrogepant)
• Type: CGRP Receptor Antagonist (not a CGRP inhibitor)
• Purpose: Abortive drug – for “acute” treatment. Taken during a specific migraine attack.
• How taken: oral
• Dosage: 50mg or 100mg. A second dose may be taken after 2 hours if needed (there are some exceptions to this – talk to your doctor and read here). If you have more than 8 migraine attacks in 30 days, you will want to look for other options.
• Side Effects: During trials, most patients did not experience significant side effects. About 4% experienced nausea, and 3% somnolence (fatigue, drowsiness).
• Specific Populations: Ubrelvy should not be taken during pregnancy, and risk should be discussed if taken during breastfeeding. Also discuss risk if you have kidney or liver problems. Patients with end-stage renal disease should also avoid Ubrelvy. This drug has not been studied for children.
• Contraindications: If you are taking a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor, Ubrelvy is not recommended. Please talk to your doctor about all medications and supplements you are taking.

A couple of things to note from the information above. The drugs that were making headlines last year were CGRP inhibitors, which to this point have been preventatives – drugs taken on a regular basis to prevent migraine. They are also injections. So this drug is quite different.

Although CGRP related, it has a different mechanism. Because it seems to work quickly, it is recommended as an abortive – taken during an attack to stop or lessen the symptoms.

So how well does Ubrelvy work? According to this study, about 20% of patients were pain-free within 2 hours, and about 38% had freedom from the worst symptoms.

Remember, Ubrelvy may work for you when other medications have not worked, because it functions in a different way from any other medication.

Most of this information is from the official Ubrevly site, where you can read more details.

Have you tried Ubrely? Please leave a comment with your experiences.