Aimovig and the CGRP migraine revolution (2018)
The FDA approved Aimovig (erenumab) from Amgen and Novartis, the first drug designed specifically to prevent migraine by blocking CGRP, a signaling molecule in the brain. Emgality, Ajovy, and Vyepti followed within two years.
A class of injectable antibodies gave millions of patients a preventive option that older repurposed pills could not match.
CGRP drugs grew into a multibillion-dollar market, but a large share of patients still respond poorly or not at all.
Slate is betting the next gains come from PACAP, a separate pathway, for the patients CGRP drugs leave behind.
