| Definition | Atogepant is an oral antagonist of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptors indicated for the prevention of episodic migraine headaches. It was developed by AbbVie and received FDA approval under the brand name Qulipta in September 2021.[L38814] While its approval was predated by two other members of the same drug family, namely [ubrogepant] and [rimegepant], these agents are indicated only for abortive migraine therapy - atogepant is novel in that it is the first and only oral CGRP antagonist approved for preventative use in migraine.[L38814]
In patients requiring preventative migraine therapy, current practice guidelines recommend the use of certain anti-epileptic medications (e.g. [valproic acid] or [topiramate]) or beta-blockers (e.g. [propranolol]), all of which can be associated with significant adverse effects.[A239094] The "gepants" family of drugs, including atogepant, are comparatively well-tolerated[A189207,L38739] and may provide a desirable treatment option for patients struggling with adverse reactions to other preventative therapies. |
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