Press Release: (partial)
Lilly Receives FDA Priority Review Designation for Emgality® (galcanezumab-gnlm) Injection for the Preventive Treatment of Episodic Cluster Headache in Adults
03/05/2019
INDIANAPOLIS, March 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Priority Review for its supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Emgality® (galcanezumab-gnlm) injection for the preventive treatment of episodic cluster headache in adults. Priority Review aims to expedite the review of applications for drugs that, if approved, could potentially represent a significant advancement in treatment for a serious condition.
The sBLA is based on data from a Phase 3 study that evaluated the safety and efficacy of Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm) injection 300mg in 106 adult patients with episodic cluster headache. Emgality was previously granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the FDA in September 2018 for the preventive treatment of episodic cluster headache, indicating the significant unmet need for this debilitating condition for which there are currently no approved preventive medications.
"Cluster headache is a severely disabling and excruciatingly painful neurological disorder. Few treatment options are available, and only a limited body of research from rigorous clinical trials exists. We are pleased the FDA has granted Priority Review for our sBLA, acknowledging the need for new treatments for this devastating disease and bringing us closer to potentially offering a preventive treatment option for these patients," said Gudarz Davar, M.D., vice president, Neurology Development, Lilly Bio-Medicines.
Cluster headache belongs to the group of primary headache disorders called trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, and people with episodic cluster headache represent 85 to 90 percent of cluster headache sufferers, a disabling disorder with a prevalence of approximately 124 per 100,000 adults.1 Cluster headache is under-recognized and often misdiagnosed. Currently, there are no approved preventive medications for episodic cluster headache in the U.S.
"The pain associated with cluster headache can be agonizing and crippling, with deep searing, burning, and stabbing pain, leaving people feeling desperate for new preventive treatment options. On behalf of the patient community, we are grateful to Lilly for their commitment to researching and working with regulatory authorities to potentially deliver a preventive treatment option for those living with episodic cluster headache," said Bob Wold, a person living with cluster headache and the founder of Clusterbusters, Inc.
Emgality was approved by the FDA in September 2018 for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults. Migraine is a neurologic disease characterized by recurrent episodes of severe headache.2,3 More than 30 million American adults suffer from migraine.4,5,6 Lilly is recruiting for Phase 3 studies evaluating Emgality for the prevention of migraine in children and adolescents (ages six to 17).7
Emgality represents the first of three investigational
treatments in development as part of Lilly's overall pain portfolio. The portfolio also includes lasmiditan for the acute treatment of migraine in adults and tanezumab, developed in partnership with Pfizer, which is being investigated for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain, chronic low back pain and cancer pain in adults.

Galcanezumab is another of the CGRP antibodies - Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or .

There have been two "similar" CGRP medications launched over the last year or two.

Whilst having another is a benefit, these drugs are not cheap which will restrict their availability.

Galcanezumab is a monoclonal antibody..... my daughter takes a mab for her ms.
I wouldn't suggest it for CH..... maybe more for migrainers... but CH is a different beast.
Stick with Batchs D3..... or go hard living like me and take tons of steroids and trex.

I usually go for a Prednisone taper and DHE nasal spray to get some relief on a particularly hard cycle, which this one is - but Prednisone at high doses really does a number on me in so many ways I thought I'd try something new.

I started Emgality 8/15. I was having 5-6 headaches a day for weeks.

The night I took it I got more headaches in an evening (3) than I usually do. I thought I had made a huge mistake.

Between 8/15 and today, I've only had one 5 headache day, all the other days I've had none, 1 or 2.

The Emaglity definitely reduced the number of attacks I'm getting.

Zero side effects that I notice, but as others have said, it hasn't been out there long, there could be some I'm not aware of.

I was on Batch's regimen (he's amazing), and I believe it helped break my last cycle and keep me PF for a while. I maintained my D3 levels, but the beast came back.

In the meantime, my months long dose of 480mg Verapamil may need to be increased, but I have too low a pulse at higher doses so we'll have to see.

I will continue to try Emgality for 3 months and see if it continues to reduce attacks/cycle ends.

If nothing else, it cuts down on how much imitrex I use and I won't run out between refills.

If anyone wants more info on my experience with Emgality, just shoot me a message.

Jeffire,

Great that you are benefiting.

From my research, I understand that it is quite successful for episodic, but not chronic.

As a fellow CCH sufferer, I will be very interested to see how you get on.

Keep us posted.

Peter.