a research study examining migranal and skin sensitivity in subjects with migraine

Conditions: Migraine

Summary: this is a research study looking at migranal (study drug) in the treatment of two migraine attacks in patients who have a history of cutaneous allodynia (pronounced q-tay-nee-us al-o-din-ee-a). cutaneous allodynia is an increased skin sensitivity experienced during a headache. it has been noted in several studies that in patients with migraine, seventy nine percent of the patients experienced allodynia on the facial skin on the same side as the headache. understanding more about allodynia may help us understand how the pain system works in migraine. this study will compare the differences, if any, in attacks treated early with study drug (at 1-hour from onset) and attacks treated later (at 4-hours). you will be asked to treat one attack early and one attack late for this study. if the first attack you treat is early (at 1 hour following onset of throbbing pain) then the second attack you treat should be late (at 4 hours following onset of throbbing pain). it is hoped that this study will provide information on the use of migranal in subjects who have cutaneous allodynia. the results from this study may be used in the development of larger clinical trials. the study drug is a medication that is taken in the form of nasal spray.

this is a three visit trial consisting of a screening visit, one follow-up visit and a termination visit. subjects will be screened using the cutaneous allodynia screening tool (appendix a) and the investigator will determine whether or not the subject experiences episodic migraine headaches associated with cutaneous allodynia. those subjects who test positive for the afore-stated will then proceed with the treatment phase of the project. migranal® will be taken by the subject at home at 1-hour following the onset of throbbing pain for one of the two qualifying migraine attacks and at 4-hours following onset of throbbing pain for the second qualifying migraine attack. migranal® 4 mg. will be self administered by each subject in the following manner: one spray in each nostril, wait 15 minutes then follow with one spray in each nostril. this will deliver the desired 4 mg. dose. cutaneous allodynia assessments will be made periodically prior to and after administration of study drug. subjects will be asked to return to the center within 1 week of treating each attack. subjects will be instructed to treat their 1st qualifying attack within 6 weeks of the screening visit and their 2nd qualifying attack within 6 weeks of their follow-up visit 1. migraine pain and associated symptoms assessments will be measured by the subjects for 24-hours from the administration of study drug for each attack.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and 65, inclusive * subjects diagnosed with episodic migraine, with or without aura according to ihs (international headache society) criteria (appendix b) for at least one-year prior to screening * subjects who experience between 3-10 migraine attacks (inclusive) per month (during the previous 6 months) with no more than 15 days of headache per month. * subjects who report their migraine pain quality as pulsating/ throbbing. * subject experiences episodic migraine associated with cutaneous allodynia, as determined by the cutaneous allodynia screening tool and investigator. * subject is using or agrees to use for the duration of participation a medically acceptable form of contraception (as determined by investigator), if female of child-bearing potential * subjects who are able to understand and comply with all study procedures. * subject provides written informed consent prior to any screening procedures being conducted exclusion criteria: * pregnant and/or lactating women * subjects who, in the investigators opinion, have a history or have evidence of a medical or psychiatric condition that would expose them to an increased risk of a significant adverse event or would interfere with the assessments of efficacy and tolerability during this trial * subjects with an abnormal ecg that, in the investigators opinion, would expose them to increased risk of adverse events or interfere with study drug and/or analysis of efficacy/tolerability * subjects currently using, or expecting to use during the trial, cyp 3a4(cyp3a4 enzyme) inhibitors (such as protease inhibitors and macrolide antibiotics) * subjects with severely impaired hepatic or renal function, as determined by the investigator * subjects who have participated in an investigational drug trial in the 30 days prior to the screening visit * subjects who currently have or have a history of basilar or hemiplegic migraine * subjects who have previously shown hypersensitivity to ergot alkaloids * subjects who have a history of non-response to dhe-45 (dihydroergotamine) or migranal®, as determined by investigator * subjects with uncontrolled hypertension * subjects who currently have or who have a history of ischemia and/or vasospastic coronary artery disease * subjects who, in the investigators opinion, have significant risk factors of coronary artery disease