Tonix Pharmaceuticals is trying to start a conversation about a potential shortcoming of oral migraine drugs, kicking off a national campaign to raise awareness of a condition that can affect absorption.
The company’s commercial subsidiary, Tonix Medicines, markets two formulations of sumatriptan for use in migraine. Sumatriptan was approved more than 30 years ago. Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories received FDA approval for an injectable formulation, Zembrace SymTouch, in 2016 and a nasal spray version in 2019. Tonix acquired the products in 2023.
Facing off against oral drugs such as AbbVie’s Ubrelvy, Tonix is seeking to raise awareness of potential benefits of nasal and injectable formulations with the “Does Your Migraine Pill Work Every Time?” Tonix launched the campaign at the PAINWeek 2024 National Conference in Las Vegas.
The question posed in the educational campaign reflects studies showing a link between gastroparesis and migraine. Gastroparesis is defined by the delayed emptying of the contents of the stomach into the intestine, potentially causing symptoms such as vomiting. Studies show some patients have migraine and gastroparesis at the same time. If that happens, gastroparesis could limit the absorption of oral drugs.
“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,” the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s Deborah Friedman, M.D., said in a statement. Friedman encourages patients and doctors to discuss adding non-oral options to their treatment plans.
Tonix is set to launch a disease education website to explain the link between gastroparesis and migraine and why oral medicines may not work. The company has also scheduled a webinar on the topic for next week.
Spreading the word about situations in which oral drugs may be ineffective could benefit Tonix’s drugs, sales of which totaled $2.2 million in the second quarter. The figure makes Tonix a small player in the migraine market. Pfizer reported $356 million in sales of Nurtec ODT, which dissolves in the mouth, over the same period. AbbVie’s Ubrelvy and Qulipta generated a combined $381 million.