Treximet – a new migraine drug

Treximet, a new migraine treatment was approved today by the FDA. Treximet is a combination of two old drugs – sumatriptan (Imitrex), 85 mg and naproxen (Aleve), 500 mg.  The combination is more effective than Imitrex alone because naproxen provides additional relief through its anti-inflammatory and pain relieving effects. Imitrex is losing its patent protection and is going to be available as a generic drug in 2009. The maker of Treximet, GlaxoSmithKline is hoping to switch most of the patients currently taking Imitrex to Treximet before patent expiration, in order to reduce its losses to generic competition.  However, it is likely that insurance companies will force physicians to prescribe generic Imitrex and generic naproxen rather than pay for Treximet. GSK argues that the combination drug, just like Imitrex are fast-dissolving and therefore faster acting drugs than the generic naproxen is and the generic Imitrex is going to be.