Migraine, drug for 'difficult patients' by July

(ANSA) - ROME, JULY 14 - A drug for the prevention of episodic and chronic migraine, monthly subcutaneous administration, with high efficacy and rapid response (first effects in a few weeks) will be available from the National Health Service by July even in "difficult" patients, on whom other therapies have failed.
    Developed by Lilly, the drug is called "Galcanezumab" and allows you to halve the attacks. This is what was disclosed in a meeting dedicated to the disease, the third most frequent in the world, with a billion people affected and a worldwide prevalence of 14%, explains Gioacchino Tedeschi, president of the Italian Society of Neurology; in Italy 9% of men and 18% of women suffer from it and only 10% of patients are adequately treated. It is no coincidence that disease-related disability, he continues, is very high, (according to the WHO, migraine is at 2 / o of all diseases that cause disability) and serious disability affects 61% of cases. Chronic migraine affects 2.5 to 4% of the population; finally, stresses Tedeschi, with the new law on chronic headaches dignity is given to the disease, which has a very strong impact on the quality of life, relationships and productivity for the patient and which costs 111 billion a year in Europe. (CONTINUED).