Advancing migraine research through industry partnership
More than one billion people worldwide live with migraine. During an attack, many have to draw the curtains, stay in bed, and put life on hold. The costs are not only personal; migraine also imposes a substantial burden on society. Fortunately, migraine research has advanced significantly over the past 30 to 40 years, leading to new treatments that can help patients:
“There has been tremendous progress in our understanding of some of the key mechanisms that lead to migraine. We know of several molecules that can trigger an attack, and medications have already been developed that can help stop a migraine attack. But these medications do not work for everyone, which is why basic research in this field remains essential,” Ashina explains.
Bringing Discoveries Closer to the Goal
Ashina also notes that Denmark has long been a hub for migraine research, and that he has now assembled the world’s largest group of specialists at CDM. This enables the center to conduct large, interdisciplinary studies involving both human participants and animal models—studies that could lead to new treatment options within the next three to four years. But this cannot happen without support from industry:
“Although my basic research center has substantial funding, I do not have the resources to develop drugs based on my findings. We follow a kind of roadmap that begins with research and ends with a treatment, but along the way, the development and clinical testing phases require enormous resources. That is where the pharmaceutical industry comes in.”
As an example, Ashina highlights his research on the signaling molecule PACAP. In 2009, his research group showed that the molecule can trigger migraine attacks. Shortly afterward, he was contacted by a small US company that had developed an antibody capable of neutralizing the molecule. The company was later acquired by the pharmaceutical company Lundbeck, which continued developing the antibody and conducted the so-called Phase 2 clinical trials in collaboration with CDM. Soon, a third and final trial will determine whether treatment with the antibody is effective and ready to enter the market as a new type of migraine therapy.
Naturally, this development is encouraging for Ashina. Although research is what drives him, the ultimate goal is to develop drugs that can help even more patients with migraine.
“If that can happen faster and more effectively in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, it is only a benefit to the research,” he says.