New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Positive Phase 3 Data for Emgality? (galcanezumab-gnlm) in Episodic Cluster Headache

INDIANAPOLIS,?July 11, 2019?/PRNewswire/ --?Eli?Lilly and Company(NYSE: LLY) announced today that the?New England Journal?of Medicine?published positive Phase 3 study results of Emgality?(galcanezumab-gnlm) for the treatment of episodic cluster headache.1?In this study, Emgality reduced the frequency of weekly cluster headache attacks across Weeks 1 to 3 compared to placebo.1The U.S. Food and Drug Administration?(FDA) approval of Emgality for the treatment of episodic cluster headache in adults in?June 2019?was based on these results.
"Cluster headache is one of the most severe primary headache disorders, with excruciatingly painful recurrent headache attacks and remarkably limited treatment options," said?Peter Goadsby, M.D., PhD, Professor of Neurology at King's College London and lead author of the?New England Journal of Medicinepaper. "Publication of these results with Emgality, showing a reduction in the frequency of attacks caused by this debilitating neurologic disorder, is encouraging for both patients and physicians."
The study enrolled 106 patients who were randomized 1:1 to receive either 300 mg Emgality (via three 100 mg subcutaneous monthly injections) or placebo. Prior to enrollment, patients averaged 17.8 weekly cluster headache attacks in the Emgality arm (n=49) and 17.3 attacks in the placebo arm (n=57).1?Results showed that patients taking Emgality had an average reduction of 8.7 weekly cluster headache attacks across Weeks 1 to 3 compared to a 5.2 average reduction in attacks for placebo (p=0.036). Additionally, 71.4% of patients treated with Emgality had their weekly cluster headache attack frequency reduced by 50% or more at Week 3, the key secondary endpoint, compared to 52.6% of placebo-treated patients (p=0.046).1
"People with episodic cluster headache describe attacks as the most excruciating pain they have ever known. Despite the severity of this disease, there has been limited innovation to help treat cluster headache," said Gudarz Davar, M.D., vice president,?Neurology Development, Lilly Bio-Medicines.2?"We are pleased that the results published in the?New England Journal?of Medicine?showed over 70% of patients taking Emgality cut their number of weekly cluster headache attacks at least in half at Week 3."
Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with episodic cluster headache treated with Emgality 300 mg monthly is consistent with the safety profile in patients with migraine treated with Emgality 120 mg monthly.1?Two Emgality-treated patients discontinued double-blind treatment during the episodic cluster headache study because of adverse events.1
Cluster headache is a?disabling primary headache disorder.3?People with episodic cluster headache represent 85 to 90 percent of cluster headache prevalence,?with approximately 250,000 adults living with this disease in the U.S.3,4?Cluster headache, although severely crippling, is challenging to diagnose because of limited awareness and, for some, may take five years or more to diagnose on average.5
About Emgality
Emgality is a monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and was approved by the?FDA?in?September 2018 for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults and in?June 2019for the treatment of episodic cluster headache in adults. Emgality was also approved in?Europe?in?November 2018?for the prophylaxis of migraine in adults who have at least four migraine days per month.
Indications and Usage for Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm) Injection
Emgality is a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonist indicated in adults for the:
- preventive treatment of migraine
- treatment of episodic cluster headache