Galcanezumab is a calcitonin-gene related peptide antagonist used to prevent migraines and treat cluster headaches. Galcanezumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody developed by Eli Lilly and Company against human calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP).
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 5 references
Galcanezumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets and binds calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Studies since 1985 have demonstrated that CGRP levels increase during acute migraine attacks in migraine-suffering patients but normalize after efficacious sumatriptan therapy. Also, research has shown that intravenous administration of CGRP can induce migraine-like attacks in migraine-suffering patients. For these reasons, binding to CGRP to interfere with its activity was specifically designed as the mechanism of action for galcanezumab, in order to reverse the migraine-inducing activity of natural CGRP. By binding to natural endogenous CGRP, galcanezumab interferes with its activities by making it unable to bind to CGRP receptors. Moreover, studies have shown that humanized monoclonal antibodies against CGRP have successfully reduced the frequency of migraine headaches in early clinical trials as a preventative therapeutic.
- Primary indication
- Galcanezumab is indicated in adults for the preventive treatment of migraine and the treatment of episodic cluster headache.Curator reviewed · 2 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- 147000.0 Da (Approximate)
- First approval
- Canada, 2019 · United States, 2018 · European Union, 2020
- Also known as
- Galcanezumab-gnlm
- Code names
- LY-2951742
- Brand names
Resolves to
What you can answer from here — as of June 15, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Galcanezumab, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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