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MigraineJune 2023

What Researchers Found Testing Rimegepant for Migraine in China and South Korea

This trial tested rimegepant — a fast-dissolving tablet that blocks the CGRP migraine pathway — for treating a single migraine attack in 1,431 adults in China and South Korea. Twice as many people on rimegepant were pain-free at 2 hours.

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.