A fast-acting transdermal gel using a proprietary formulation of the non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ketoprofen reduced pain severity in patients with severe migraine with and without aura, compared with placebo and had few adverse effects.
“This research sheds new and highly welcome light on our understanding of how severe headaches are caused by neurogenic inflammation, and how we can rationally interrupt pathologic feed-forward signaling in the trigeminal system,” lead researcher, Wolfgang Liedtke, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology, anesthesiology, and neurobiology, Duke University told Medscape Medical News.
“Once confirmed in later stages of clinical trials, it can change our neurological practice significantly, possibly heralding a new era of topical, transdermal treatments for migraine and related headaches, and also for other pain disorders.”
Compared to a reference topical ketoprofen gel, the proprietary product was absorbed quickly. At 2 hours, absorption of the competing product is “minimal to nonexistent” compared to the new drug, which “reaches the target because the formulation allowing the drug to go through the skin is so efficient,” said Dr. Liedtke. “It’s so much better than anything we have seen.”
From Dr. Robbins: as I have said in this blog, I am skeptical of these gels; they cost a huge amount, and theoretically are iffy as to whether they should even help; I need to see much more in the way of good studies, and our personal experience with patients….
medscape.com
April 24, 2015