Zelrix™ - acute migraine
Migraine is an episodic headache disorder associated with various combinations of neurologic, gastrointestinal, and autonomic symptoms that affects approximately 36 million Americans, mostly women. Gastrointestinal disturbances, including nausea and vomiting are quite common associated symptoms of migraine affecting over 90% of those experiencing migraine. These GI symptoms can be incapacitating and for 30% of sufferers, migraine-associated nausea or vomiting interferes with their ability to take oral medications. Moreover, nearly all patients suffer from gastric stasis, which, for many, adversely impacts drug absorption and pharmacokinetics, resulting in delayed, inconsistent, or incomplete relief.
While non-oral formulations are available, only sumatriptan injection does not depend on GI absorption. Both nasal and melt formulations are absorbed primarily through the GI tract. Moreover, few patients elect to use current non-oral formulations due to discomfort, inconvenience, and adverse effects.
Zelrix™ is a potentially empowering alternative for migraine sufferers – fast, consistent, and controlled delivery of their migraine medication regardless of nausea, vomiting, or other gastric symptoms associated with migraine.
Zelrix™ is a novel transdermal formulation of sumatriptan using NuPathe’s proprietary SmartRelief™ technology. NuPathe has competed several Phase I studies, demonstrating that therapeutic blood levels can be obtained rapidly, consistently, and tolerably. Phase III trials are ongoing.
| Publications |
| Manuscripts |
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Pierce M., Marbury T., O'Neil C., Siegel S., Du W., Sebree T. "ZelrixTM: A Novel Transdermal Formulation of Sumatriptan" Headache 2009, 49(6):817-825.
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| Posters/Abstracts |
| Pierce M., Marbury T., O'Neill C., Siegel SJ., Du W., Sebree T. "NP101: A Novel Formulation of Sumatriptan Succinate Utilizing SmartReliefTM Trandermal Technolgy" 50th Annual Scientific Meeting of The AHS 2008. PDF |
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| Facts about migraine |
- An estimated 36 million Americans suffer from migraine
- Migraine costs the US economy over $13 billion in lost work and productivity each year
- Annual sales of triptans, the leading class of agents for acute migraine, exceed $2 billion in the US
- Over 50% of migraine sufferers experience nausea in a majority of their attacks
- For more information about migraine:
- American Headache Society
- National Headache Foundation
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