A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of zolmitriptan nasal spray for the acute treatment of migraine in patients aged 6 to 11 years, with an open-label extension

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of zolmitriptan nasal spray (ZNS) in the acute treatment of migraine headache in patients aged 6 to 11 years.

Background: Triptans have demonstrated efficacy in adults, but pediatric studies of these agents have largely failed and there are few triptan options for these patients. Because lack of response to 1 triptan does not necessarily preclude response to an alternate triptan, additional triptan options for pediatric patients are desirable.

Methods: This Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter crossover trial with an open-label extension enrolled patients aged 6 to 11 years with a diagnosis of migraine for ≥6 months and ≥16 headache-free days/month (N = 373). After a run-in period to eliminate placebo responders, 186 patients were randomized within their body weight stratum to ZNS followed by matching placebo, or placebo followed by matching ZNS. Patients <50 kg who were randomly allocated to ZNS were randomized to 5:1 to ZNS 2.5 or 1.0 mg; those ≥50 kg were randomized 5:1 to ZNS 5.0 or 2.5 mg. Patients had 6 weeks to treat 1 moderate to severe migraine headache and then crossed over to the alternate arm, during which they had 6 weeks to treat a second migraine attack. Patients could participate in a subsequent 6-month outpatient open-label extension. The primary efficacy endpoint was pain-free status at 2 h in patients treated with the high dose from each stratum.

Results: The trial was terminated early due to slow enrollment. Three hundred patients (mean age, 9 years) entered the placebo run-in period and 186 entered the double-blind period. Pain-free status at 2 h postdose was achieved by 45/133 (33.8%) and 30/128 (23.4%) of patients who received high-dose ZNS and placebo, respectively (p = 0.0777; odds ratio [OR] 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96, 2.38). Several secondary endpoints achieved statistical significance. There were few treatment-related adverse events and none led to discontinuation. ZNS retained efficacy and demonstrated a consistent safety profile throughout the 6-month open-label extension.

Conclusion: The effect of high-dose ZNS on the primary endpoint of pain-free status at 2 h did not achieve statistical significance. ZNS was safe and well tolerated in this pediatric population.