Lilly Korea has entered into negotiations on Emgality

Insurance benefits can be registered as early as Q3

Competitive drug Ajovy is also under way

CGRP target migraine drug Emgality is in the final stage for insurance benefit registration.

 

According to related industries, Emgality, a target migraine treatment for CGRP (Calcitoninogen-related peptide) by Lilly Korea, recently began negotiations with the NHIS on drug prices.

 

Considering the deadline for negotiations, a conclusion is expected within next month.

 

If Emgality is reimbursed, it will be the first new drug in the system.

 

Emgality passed the Drug Reimbursment Evaluation Committee on the 12th of last month after submitting a benefit application in March 2021.

 

Handok Teva's Ajovy, which is currently a competitive drug, is also in the process of registration.

 

These drugs are humanized monoclonal antibody drugs that bind to CGRP molecules that play a major role in causing migraine symptoms to block binding to receptors.

 

Although the two drugs are of the same series, there are differences in doses, so patients with severe migraine are approaching with another expectation.

 

Emgality was based on the EVOLVE-1 and EVOLVE-2 studies in which 1773 Episodic Migrain patients (4-14 days per month) participated for 6 months, and the REGAIN study in which 1,113 patients (15 days per month) participated in the average headache and 8 days or more.

 

In particular, in the EVOLVE-2 clinical study involving Koreans, the average number of days of migraines per month for six months in the Emgality group (226 patients) decreased by two more days compared to the placebo group (450 patients) (4.3 days in the Emgality group and 2.3 days in the placebo group), the number of patients administered by Emgality, whose number of migraine days decreased by 50% over 6 months, was 59% (36% in the placebo group), 34% (18% in the placebo group) which decreased by more than 75%, and patients who decreased by 100% were 12% (6% of placebo group).

 

Min Ju-kyung, a neurology professor at Sinchon Severance Hospital, said, "Migrain headaches are more painful than imagined and hinder the quality of life of patients.

 

Patients who experience migraines more than 4 to 5 days a month can expect to improve their quality of life through preventive treatment," she explained.