SukiSukiNow Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Thought you might find some hope in this... MAP gets big boost from migraine drug. After reporting a setback with one of its drugs earlier this year, Mountain View-based MAP Pharmaceuticals got a huge boost Tuesday from a study of another drug that appears to hold promise for millions of migraine sufferers. The company announced that its inhaled migraine treatment, Levadex, met all of the major goals of the late-stage study involving nearly 800 patients with the ailment. The news nearly tripled MAP's stock price, which rose $5.85 to close at $9. After two hours, patients taking Levadex had significantly less pain, nausea and sensitivity to sound and light, compared with patients taking a placebo, the company said. In addition, MAP said Levadex began relieving pain within 30 minutes and continued to help for up to 48 hours without serious side effects. That is important, in part because so-called triptans — one widely used class of drugs to treat migraines — can take up to 90 minutes to work and can cause high blood pressure, the company said. In addition, triptans, which usually are given orally, "don't seem to last beyond two to four hours," said Sheena Aurora, a director of the Swedish Headache Center and a paid MAP consultant who worked on the study. "For the average migraine sufferer, it gives a convenient home therapy which is fast and lasts long," she said. "Obviously, we're really pleased with this outcome," said MAP CEO Timothy Nelson, adding that MAP plans another study to further evaluate Levadex before asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to let it sell the treatment. "We always believed the drug would work this way." The company's treatment uses dihydroergotamine, an existing drug that is usually injected but also is available as a nasal spray. MAP's formulation uses an inhaler the patient breathes through their mouth. Administering the drug is easier with MAP's product than with the injected form, and MAP's inhaler often gives a more precise dose than is possible with the spray, Nelson said. In February, MAP suffered a blow when a treatment it is developing for asthma failed to show statistically significant benefit. But Nelson said the company and AstraZeneca, its partner in developing that treatment, are still reviewing data from the study and haven't determined how to proceed. In a note to its clients, investment bank Leerink Swann said if Levadex is approved for sale to migraine suffers, it could generate up to $270 million a year worldwide. The note added that other companies might be interested in buying an interest in Levadex, a possibility Nelson said he would consider. Nearly 30 million Americans endure migraines, according to the National Headache Foundation. Women are three times more likely than men to have the ailment, which typically affects people 15 to 55. Migraines can be triggered by a variety of factors, including a missed meal, medications that swell blood vessels, bright lights, noise, watching television and some types of food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnomeToys Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 The company's treatment uses dihydroergotamine They've been using it for years, this company is just patenting the inhaler version of it. Not much new unfortunately, that company is sure using it to jack up their stocks though. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrChupacabra Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Awesome. Unfortunately, i don't have migraines per say, but chronic headaches. I don't get any of the other migraine effects like naseau, sensitivity to bright lights, and auras, i just have miserable headaches half of my waking life and less miserable headaches the other half. I'll still definitely read more about it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XJONATHONX Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire15 Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I get migranes that make me pray for death. But I just go to sleep and wake up the next day somewhat less miserable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxRoach Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 i used to take maxalt. http://www.maxalt.com/rizatriptan_benzoate/maxalt/consumer/index.jsp tablet that instantly dissolves in your mouth. /nh worked really well in revealing the pain quickly but made me really nauseous and the pills were super expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicineCabinet Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 MAY CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnomeToys Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Considering ergotamine derivatives have been known to cause spontaneous abortions the birth defects shouldn't be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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