Fremanezumab for preventing migraine

  • Technology appraisal guidance
  • TA764
  • Published: 
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1 Recommendations

1.1 Fremanezumab is recommended as an option for preventing migraine in adults, only if:

  • they have 4 or more migraine days a month

  • at least 3 preventive drug treatments have failed and

  • the company provides it according to the commercial arrangement.

1.2 Stop fremanezumab after 12 weeks of treatment if:

  • in episodic migraine (fewer than 15 headache days a month), the frequency does not reduce by at least 50%

  • in chronic migraine (15 headache days a month or more with at least 8 of those having features of migraine), the frequency does not reduce by at least 30%.

1.3 These recommendations are not intended to affect treatment with fremanezumab that was started in the NHS before this guidance was published. People having treatment outside these recommendations may continue without change to the funding arrangements in place for them before this guidance was published, until they and their NHS clinician consider it appropriate to stop.

Why the committee made these recommendations

Treatments for preventing chronic or episodic migraine include beta-blockers, antidepressants and anticonvulsant drugs. If chronic migraine does not respond to at least 3 preventive drug treatments, botulinum toxin type A or best supportive care (treatment for the migraine symptoms) is offered. If episodic migraine does not respond to at least 3 preventive drug treatments, best supportive care is offered.

For people whose migraine has not responded to at least 3 oral preventive treatments, clinical trial evidence shows that fremanezumab works better than best supportive care in both episodic and chronic migraine. However, it is unclear if fremanezumab works better than botulinum toxin type A.

For chronic migraine, assuming fremanezumab works better than botulinum toxin type A, the most likely cost-effectiveness estimates are within the range NICE normally considers an acceptable use of NHS resources. So it is recommended for chronic migraine. For episodic migraine, the estimates of cost effectiveness are even lower, so it is recommended for episodic migraine. Fremanezumab treatment should be stopped if it is not working well enough after 12 weeks.