At this year’s PAINWeek National Conference, held September 3 to 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tonix Pharmaceuticals announced the launch of its new educational campaign, “Does Your Migraine Pill Work Every Time?” Targeted toward patients and health care providers, the campaign highlights the advantages of non-oral migraine treatments, such as nasal and injectable options, for individuals with gastroparesis, according to a company news release.1
Gastroparesis is a condition whereby the stomach’s muscles function slowly, preventing the timely movement of food to the small intestine. Research over the past 4 decades has demonstrated a connection between gastroparesis and migraine; symptoms of gastroparesis, which include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, are common before, during, and in between migraine attacks.1
Key Takeaways
- Tonix Pharmaceuticals launched a new educational campaign that aims to empower patients with knowledge about gastroparesis and migraine and promote alternative treatment options.
- Many individuals with migraine also experience gastroparesis, which can exacerbate their symptoms and interfere with the effectiveness of oral migraine medications.
- Due to the delayed or incomplete absorption of oral medications in patients with gastroparesis, non-oral options like nasal sprays and injectables can provide faster and more effective relief from migraine symptoms.
Gastroparesis interferes with the absorption of nutrients and medications. When it comes to oral migraine medications, this inefficiency can cause delayed, incomplete, or no migraine symptom relief.1 Through its campaign, Tonix Pharmaceuticals seeks to address this by promoting alternative treatments that bypass the gastrointestinal system.
“Non-oral migraine medications, such as injectables and nasal sprays, do not rely on the digestive system to be absorbed and can offer the potential for faster relief from migraine symptoms in as little as 10 minutes,” said Debora I. Friedman, MD, MPH, FAHS, board-certified neuro-ophthalmologist, headache medicine specialist, and founding director of the headache and facial pain program and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, in the release.1 “There are several options when it comes to nasal and injectable treatments, and I encourage patients to talk with their clinician about adding a non-oral medication to their treatment plan.”
READ MORE: Digital Therapeutic Shows Significant Reduction in Episodic Migraine
A previous study examined the connection between migraines and gastroparesis by comparing gastric emptying rates in people with migraine with aura to a control group. The study found that 78% and 80% of 10 people with migraine with aura met the criteria for gastroparesis during and between migraine attacks, respectively. Additionally, those with migraines took over an hour longer to empty their stomachs compared to the control group (188.8 vs 111.8 minutes).2
Other research has explored alternative therapeutic avenues to non-oral medications for the conditions. One study published in Current Neurology and Neurosciences Reports focused on addressing the vagus nerve, pointing to overlapping similarities between gastroparesis and migraine that could lend themselves to the approach’s effectiveness.3
“Gastric dysmotility in the setting of migraine can impact absorption of oral migraine medications and alternate formulations should be considered for some patients,” wrote investigators.3 “Noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation has been FDA cleared for migraine treatment and is also being studied in gastroparesis. Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system is a significant feature in the pathophysiology of gut motility and migraine, making treatments that modulate the vagus nerve attractive for future research.”
Although various medical conditions can contribute to gastroparesis, in approximately 40% of cases, the underlying cause remains unknown, a condition referred to as idiopathic gastroparesis.4 For the remaining cases where a cause can be identified, diabetes accounts for about 30%, and other potential causes include viral infections, certain medications, surgeries, autoimmune gastrointestinal disorders, and neurological conditions.
Tonix Pharmaceuticals’ new campaign empowers patients with gastroparesis and migraine with knowledge about their symptoms and conditions. This knowledge can help patients provide health care professionals with valuable information to determine more targeted treatments.
Alongside the campaign, Tonix will launch a new disease education website for patients who want to learn more about gastroparesis and migraine and why their oral medications do not work.
“Migraine often requires patients to advocate for themselves to develop an effective migraine treatment plan. Empowering patients to understand why they are experiencing delayed or inconsistent relief from oral medications and educating them on other migraine treatment options could ultimately improve their management of migraine symptoms and ultimately enhance their quality of life,” said Shoshana Lipson, executive director of Migraine Meanderings and Hope for Migraine, in the same release.1
READ MORE: Pain Management Resource Center
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References
1. Tonix Pharmaceuticals launches national awareness campaign on the impact of gastroparesis or stomach paralysis on the absorption of oral migraine medications at PAINWeek. News release. Tonix Pharmaceuticals. September 6, 2024. Accessed September 9, 2024. https://ir.tonixpharma.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1514/tonix-pharmaceuticals-launches-national-awareness-campaign
2. Aurora SK, Kori SH, Barrodale P, McDonald SA, Haseley D. Gastric stasis in migraine: more than just a paroxysmal abnormality during a migraine attack. Headache. 2006;46(1):57-63. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00311.x
3. Arca KN, Cai J, Wang F, Kassim G, Hasler WL, Batheja MJ. Migraine and Gastroparesis. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2022;22(12):813-821. doi:10.1007/s11910-022-01241-3
