Aimovig halved migraine days-in-30% of-trial-patients-

Positive new data on what is likely the first drug in a new class designed to target calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which plays a key role in migraine activation, has been released.

Switzerland’s Novartis (NOVN: VX) and US biotech Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) on Thursday announced full results from the Phase IIIb LIBERTY trial of Aimovig (erenumab, AMG 334) in episodic migraine patients who had previously failed two to four preventive treatments, due to lack of efficacy or intolerable side effects.

Evercore ISI analyst Umer Raffat has estimated that the market for anti-CGRP drugs could reach $8 billion to $10 billion. Mr Raffat estimated that anti-CGRP drugs will likely be priced at about $8,500 a year, in line with the cost of PCSK9 inhibitors.

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