BioCentury
ARTICLE | Product Development

Cleaner than triptans

July 7, 2008 7:00 AM UTC

Triptans are the drug of choice for migraine patients, but they have cardiovascular side effects that leave many healthy patients wary and make them contraindicated for patients with CV disease. Merck & Co. Inc. disclosed Phase III data recently for a new compound class that looks to have similar efficacy without the cardiovascular risk.

At the American Headache Society meeting in Boston, Merck presented data from a double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled trial of MK-0974 telcagepant vs. Zomig zolmitriptan from AstraZeneca plc showing that 55% of patients in the 300 mg MK-0974 arm had headache relief within two hours vs. 56% for 5 mg Zomig and 28% for placebo...