Botulinum toxin type A for preventing episodic migraine

Botulinum toxin type A (an active constituent in BOTOX) is currently in clinical development for the prevention of episodic migraine. Migraine is a debilitating neurological condition that commonly causes extremely painful headaches. Episodic migraine is defined as a headache which occurs on less than 15 days per month. Migraines may be triggered by any of the following: stress or anxiety, bright or flashing lights, sleep changes, weather changes, excess caffeine, and tobacco. Symptoms of a migraine usually manifest as, throbs with a pulse and is made worse by physical activity. People often lose their appetite during a migraine attack, and nausea is a common symptom, which sometimes progresses to vomiting. After the worse of the attack is over, sufferers often feel ‘washed out’. Preventative (prophylactic) treatment of migraine is used to reduce the number of migraines, severity, and duration of migraines a patient may experience. There is currently no cure for migraines.