Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. (NYSE: BHVN) today announced a collaboration with Cove, a company providing specialized care and access to innovative treatments for migraine sufferers via telemedicine services in the United States. The collaboration seeks to facilitate telemedicine evaluation for migraine sufferers while patients are increasingly looking to remote evaluations during this time of unprecedented decreased access to routine office visits.
The intent of this initiative is to further expand patients' access to migraine treatments, like NURTEC™ ODT, an orally disintegrating tablet recently approved for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. Using Cove, patients consult with independent healthcare providers and may be prescribed NURTEC ODT along with other migraine treatments which provides patients an important alternative to in-office doctor visits. NURTEC ODT is the first calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist and the first branded medication available through Cove.
BJ Jones, Chief Commercial Officer of Migraine and Common Diseases commented, "Biohaven is committed to providing people with migraine innovative options for accessing healthcare, particularly given the challenges facing patients in the current healthcare environment. During this period, patients may experience an increase in attacks and it is important to keep those suffering from migraine functioning normally, and out of doctor offices/emergency rooms to comply with travel restrictions. By making NURTEC ODT available through Cove's platform, we can provide migraine patients with another option to access doctors and treatment from the safety and comfort of their homes."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved NURTEC ODT for the acute treatment of migraine in adults on February 27, 2020. NURTEC ODT, which disperses almost instantly in a person's mouth without the need for water, works by blocking the CGRP receptor, treating a root cause of migraine. NURTEC ODT is not indicated for the preventive treatment of migraine.
Cove General Manager, Caroline Hofmann, added, "There's no one size fits all solution for migraine sufferers. They deserve to have as many options as possible to find the right one for them. We're excited to be able to offer NURTEC ODT on Cove and make this innovative treatment more accessible than ever through our telemedicine platform, during this stressful time when migraine sufferers need it the most."
Alicia Torborg, Executive Director, Association of Migraine Disorders, said, "Especially during this trying time, we all need to help patients get the care that they need when they need it. Telemedicine will help to fill this gap and may very well be the way of our future."
The collaboration with Cove is an expansion of existing tools to enhance access to NURTEC ODT for appropriate migraine patients. Existing offerings include a two-dose complementary sample pack available with a prescription from healthcare providers, a patient starter kit and a co-pay card where commercially insured patients can pay as little as $0 per month for NURTEC ODT. Patients using Cove will be eligible for the co-pay card.
More information about NURTEC ODT and available patient savings and access programs can be found at 1-833-4NURTEC and www.nurtec.com.
Migraine patients interested in Cove's services can start the consultation here.
NURTEC ODT is not an opioid or narcotic, does not have addiction potential and is not scheduled as a controlled substance by the U.S. Drug and Enforcement Administration.
NURTEC ODT is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to rimegepant, NURTEC ODT, or to any of its components. Hypersensitivity reactions with dyspnea and severe rash, including delayed serious hypersensitivity days after administration, occurred in less than 1% of subjects taking NURTEC ODT in clinical studies.
About NURTEC ODT
NURTEC™ ODT (rimegepant) is the first and only calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist available in a quick-dissolve ODT formulation that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. The activity of the neuropeptide CGRP is thought to play a causal role in migraine pathophysiology. NURTEC ODT is a CGRP receptor antagonist that works by reversibly blocking CGRP receptors, thereby inhibiting the biologic activity of the CGRP neuropeptide. The recommended dose of NURTEC ODT is 75 mg, taken as needed, up to once daily. For more information about NURTEC ODT, visit www.nurtec.com.
The most common adverse reaction was nausea (2% in patients who received NURTEC ODT compared to 0.4% in patients who received placebo). Avoid concomitant administration of NURTEC ODT with strong inhibitors of CYP3A4, strong or moderate inducers of CYP3A or inhibitors of P-gp or BCRP. Avoid another dose of NURTEC ODT within 48 hours when it is administered with moderate inhibitors of CYP3A4.
About Migraine
Nearly 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from migraine and the World Health Organization classifies migraine as one of the 10 most disabling medical illnesses. Migraine is characterized by debilitating attacks lasting four to 72 hours with multiple symptoms, including pulsating headaches of moderate to severe pain intensity that can be associated with nausea or vomiting, and/or sensitivity to sound (phonophobia) and sensitivity to light (photophobia). There is a significant unmet need for new acute treatments as more than 90 percent of migraine sufferers are unable to work or function normally during an attack.
About CGRP Receptor Antagonism
Small molecule CGRP receptor antagonists represent a novel class of drugs for the treatment of migraine. This unique mode of action potentially offers an alternative to current agents, particularly for patients who have contraindications to the use of triptans, or who have a poor response to triptans or are intolerant to them.
Please click here for full Prescribing information.
About Cove
Cove is a full-service healthcare company that offers personalized treatment solutions for migraine sufferers. Cove aims to empower migraine sufferers by providing direct access to high-quality, affordable migraine care, personalized to each customer and their specific needs. In addition to NURTEC ODT, Cove offers acute and preventative treatments for migraine, anti-nausea medications, and clinically-proven supplements. For more information, visit www.withcove.com.
About Biohaven
Biohaven is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative best-in-class therapies to improve the lives of patients with debilitating neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. Biohaven's neuroinnovation portfolio includes FDA-approved NURTEC™ ODT (rimegepant) for the acute treatment of migraine and a broad pipeline of late-stage product candidates across three distinct mechanistic platforms: calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonism for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine; glutamate modulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and spinocerebellar ataxia; and myeloperoxidase (MPO) inhibition for multiple system atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. For more information, visit www.biohavenpharma.com.
