What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 1,648 patients with migraine. The study was sponsored by Pfizer and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
20% pain-free at 2 hours on rimegepant vs. 11% on the inactive tablet.
The Lancet Neurology · 2023 · NCT04574362
These findings — that pain-free at 2 hours after a single dose of rimegepant for migraine — were published in the The Lancet Neurology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 1,648 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with migraine, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Rimegepant (Nurtec ODT) is FDA-approved and available now for treating migraine attacks and for short-term migraine prevention. Side effects are minimal — mostly mild nausea. Ask a neurologist or primary care doctor about adding it as a rescue option.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open migraine trials
Cannabis for Chronic Headaches in Adolescents: the CAN-CHA Trial
Chronic headaches are a major cause of disability among adolescents. Cannabis products have supported the management of headaches in adults and may play a role in pediatric chronic pain. We propose a multisite, open-label, tolerability study conducted across three centers in Canada of Cannabidiol-enriched Cannabis Herbal Extract in adolescents (ages 14 to 17 years old) with chronic headaches. The study includes a one month baseline assessment, four months of escalating treatment doses and a weaning period. Our primary outcome is tolerability defined as the number and severity of reported adverse events.
A Long-Term Safety Study of Elismetrep (K-304) in the Acute Treatment of Migraine
This is a long-term safety study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of intermittent use of elismetrep in the acute treatment of migraine attacks.