From the Guidelines
Emgality should not be taken just once for the preventive treatment of migraine, as its effectiveness depends on maintaining therapeutic levels over time. The standard dosing regimen for Emgality (galcanezumab) involves a loading dose followed by monthly maintenance doses, indicating that a single dose would not suffice for sustained preventive benefits 1.
Key Points to Consider:
- The medication works by blocking calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a mechanism that requires consistent drug levels to effectively prevent migraine attacks.
- Similar preventive treatments, such as erenumab, fremanezumab, and eptinezumab, are also administered on a regular schedule, underscoring the importance of consistent dosing for these types of medications 1.
- The dosing frequency and regimen for preventive migraine treatments, including Emgality, are designed to maintain therapeutic drug levels and provide ongoing protection against migraine attacks.
Clinical Implications:
- Patients should commit to the full treatment schedule as prescribed by their healthcare provider to evaluate the medication's effectiveness in preventing migraine attacks.
- Deviating from the recommended dosing schedule, such as taking Emgality just once, may compromise its efficacy and is not supported by clinical evidence 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
2.1 Recommended Dosing for Migraine The recommended dosage of EMGALITY is 240 mg (two consecutive subcutaneous injections of 120 mg each) once as a loading dose, 2.2 Recommended Dosing for Episodic Cluster Headache The recommended dosage of EMGALITY is 300 mg (three consecutive subcutaneous injections of 100 mg each) at the onset of the cluster period
The answer is yes, you can take Emgality once, as a loading dose of 240 mg for migraine or 300 mg for episodic cluster headache, followed by monthly doses 2.
- The initial dose is given as a one-time loading dose.
- Subsequent doses are given monthly.
From the Research
Emgality Administration
- Emgality, also known as galcanezumab, is administered as a monthly subcutaneous injection 3, 4.
- The standard dosage is 120 mg or 240 mg per month, with an initial loading dose of 240 mg 5, 6.
- There is no evidence to suggest that Emgality can be taken only once, as it is designed for ongoing preventive treatment of migraine 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Efficacy and Safety
- Studies have shown that galcanezumab is effective in reducing the frequency and severity of migraine headaches 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
- The treatment has been found to be well-tolerated, with minimal side effects 3, 4, 5.
- Galcanezumab has been shown to have a rapid onset of effect, with significant reductions in migraine headache days observed as early as the first week of treatment 6.