Lilly’s Galcanezumab Meets Phase 3 Endpoint

Eli Lilly and Company’s galcanezumab has met its primary endpoint in a Phase 3 study of patients with episodic cluster headache, demonstrating statistically significant differences in the reduction of weekly cluster headache attacks compared to placebo across weeks one to three of the two-month, double-blind treatment period. 

 A statistically significantly greater percentage of patients treated with galcanezumab also achieved at least a 50 percent reduction in weekly cluster headache attacks compared to placebo at Week 3, the gated secondary endpoint. 

“Cluster headache can be difficult to evaluate in clinical studies, which has contributed to few available treatment options for cluster headache, often considered the most severe pain one can experience,” said Christi Shaw, president of Lilly Bio-Medicines. “The positive results in episodic cluster headache are truly a landmark moment—both for people living with cluster headache and for our researchers at Lilly, many of whom have spent more than two decades researching and developing innovative, non-opioid treatment options for diseases like migraine and cluster headache.”  

Lilly also conducted a separate Phase 3 study for patients with chronic cluster headache, which represents 10 to 15 percent of cluster headache cases.1 This study did not meet its primary endpoint. These studies, which evaluated a combined 343 patients, are the largest controlled preventive trials conducted in cluster headache to date.

“It is hard to articulate the devastating impact that cluster headache can have on those of us living with the disease. Many people living with cluster headache spend years searching for effective treatment options to help ease an excruciating level of pain,” said Bob Wold, a patient living with cluster headache and founder of Clusterbusters, Inc. “We are very excited by these results and galcanezumab’s potential as a new treatment option for people living with cluster headache, many of whom have spent years feeling ignored and alone in their struggle.” 

The episodic cluster headache study included a two-month treatment period comparing galcanezumab to placebo. Patients with episodic cluster headache treated with galcanezumab (300 mg once-monthly) experienced statistically significant differences in the reduction of weekly cluster headache attacks compared to patients treated with placebo across weeks one to three of the two-month, double-blind treatment period (-8.7 for galcanezumab compared to -5.2 for placebo, p=0.036), the primary endpoint of the study.

The FDA is currently reviewing galcanezumab for the prevention of migraine in adults. A decision is expected in the third quarter of 2018.