FDA APPROVES FIRST MIGRAINE SKIN PATCH

     The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first skin patch for the treatment of acute migraine headaches and the severe nausea and sensitivity to light and sound which often accompanies it.

     Zecuity contains sumatripan, one of the most commonly prescribed migraine medications.

     The patch is attached to the patient’s upper arm or thigh. When the patient pushes a button, the medication is delivered through the skin. Zecuity, which is battery operated, delivers 6.5 milligrams of sumatripan over the course of about five hours, providing relief of symptoms.

     The manufacturer, NuPathe Inc, hopes to have the patch on the market later this year.