• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Despite his $200 million success, Matthew McConaughey spent a weekend in the desert reading 20 years of bad reviews—he says some of them had ‘a point’

3

Palantir’s billionaire CEO says only two kinds of people will succeed in the AI era: trade workers—‘or you’re neurodivergent’

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Despite his $200 million success, Matthew McConaughey spent a weekend in the desert reading 20 years of bad reviews—he says some of them had ‘a point’

3

Palantir’s billionaire CEO says only two kinds of people will succeed in the AI era: trade workers—‘or you’re neurodivergent’
HealthFDA

FDA Approves New Migraine Drug: What You Need to Know

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 18, 2018, 12:30 PM ET
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug that could make your migraine headaches a bit easier to handle.

The drug, called Aimovig, is used to treat migraines in adults by reducing the amount of time the migraine symptoms last. In a statement, the FDA said three clinical trials were performed on Aimovig’s effectiveness. The first found the drug reduced migraine symptoms by one to two days compared to the placebo. The second found one fewer migraine day, and the third reported 2.5 fewer migraine days.

Migraine headaches affect 10% of the world’s population, though they’re three times more common in women than in men, the FDA said in its statement on Thursday. Migraines are typically characterized by extreme pulsing and throbbing in one area of the head and can also include nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. The headaches can last for days.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Aimovig won’t eliminate migraine headaches in those who use the drug, but should reduce the duration of migraine symptoms. In order to get that effect, however, patients need to inject Aimovig into their bodies once a month. The drug then blocks the activity of a molecule that plays a role in migraines. Some patients in clinical trials reported reactions to the migraine shot at their injection sites. Some also had constipation.

.@US_FDA approves Aimovig™ (erenumab-aooe) from #Amgen: https://t.co/v7QGIvQW8i

— Amgen 🧪🔬🧬 (@Amgen) May 17, 2018

The FDA didn’t say when the new migraine drug would go on sale, but The New York Times reported on Thursday that the shot, manufactured by Novartis and Amgen, would be available within a week.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Recommended For You

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.