Lilly's Emgality fails to beat Pfizer option in migraine prevention

Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) said on Friday that its migraine prevention drug failed to show superiority over a rival from US pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), in what was described as the first and only trial of its kind comparing two calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonist therapies.

Lilly announced results of the CHALLENGE-MIG clinical trial of its Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm) and Pfizer’s Nurtec ODT (rimegepant orally disintegrating tablet), showing that Emgality did not meet the study's primary endpoint, defined as statistical superiority to Nurtec ODT on the percentage of participants achieving a 50% or greater reduction in monthly migraine headache days. Response rates were similar.

However, Lilly noted that it demonstrated clinically meaningful efficacy and safety in this three-month study consistent with Emgality's previous six-month studies. And, Emgality performed numerically better on key secondary endpoints of the three-month trial, it said.