Drugs Against Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide and its Receptor Used in the Treatment of Migraine: What are the New Progresses?

Abstract

but research in the last two decades indicates that it might be a brain disorder, a dismodulation
of sensory processing of the brainstem responsible for regulation of vascular tone and
the pain. Several neurotransmitters and neuromodulators including neuropeptides have been
implicated in the pathomechanism of migraine, among them, Calcitonin gene-related peptide
(CGRP) has been the focus of many studies in recent years. Increased CGRP level (perhaps due
to release from peripheral and central sensory nerve endings) has been detected in the blood of
migraine patients and many basic and clinical investigators in recent years have been trying to
block the CGRP receptor by means of newly developed CGRP-receptor antagonist drugs or inhibit
its activity by even newer compounds, the monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) against CGRP
or its receptor. These latter ones are still in clinical trials but have had promising results so far
in alleviating the pain of migraine patients. This article will briefly review and discuss the role
of CGRP and its receptor in migraine and some of the other biological activities of CGRP, the
CGRP receptor antagonist drugs and the new progresses in mAbs against CGRP or its receptor.