Lasmiditan for Acute Migraine Treatment

Triptans — serotonin 5-HT_1B/1D receptor agonists — are one of the mainstay acute treatments for migraine. However, some patients do not respond to triptans, cannot take them because of medical contraindications, or cannot tolerate their adverse effects, which include chest pain, throat discomfort, and muscle pain. Proof-of-concept data have suggested that 5-HT_1F receptor agonists, such as lasmiditan, might be an alternative to triptans without unwanted vasoactive effects. To assess further the efficacy and tolerability of an investigational oral formulation of lasmiditan, researchers conducted a manufacturer-funded, phase II, double-blind study of 512 patients with episodic migraine from 43 European headache centers. Migraine patients with …