Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42310163›Full record

ReviewAdvances in therapy2026

Evaluating the Complementary Nature of Randomized Controlled Trials and Real-World Evidence Using Over 5 Years of Experience with Fremanezumab: A Narrative Review.

Piero Barbanti, Timothy Smith, Verena Ramirez Campos, Alejandra Elizabeth Guevara Morel, Caroline Ling, Preet Bhogal, Caoimhe Leonard, Richard James Stark

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Advances in therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Piero BarbantiHeadache and Pain Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele, Rome, Italy.
Timothy SmithStudyMetrix Research, St. Peters, MO, USA.
Verena Ramirez CamposTeva Branded Pharmaceutical Products R&D, Inc., West Chester, PA, USA.
Alejandra Elizabeth Guevara MorelTeva Pharmaceuticals Europe B.V., Haarlem, The Netherlands. AlejandraElizabeth.GuevaraMorel@Tevaeu.com.
Caroline LingRTI Health Solutions, Manchester, UK.
Preet BhogalRTI Health Solutions, Manchester, UK.
Caoimhe LeonardRTI Health Solutions, Manchester, UK.
Richard James StarkDepartment of Neurology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSince the pivotal phase 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and regulatory approval of fremanezumab, a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibody (mAb) for migraine prevention, several real-world evidence (RWE) studies have been conducted. In this narrative review, we highlight the complementary value of RCTs and RWE studies, by examining > 6 years of fremanezumab efficacy and effectiveness data.

methodsEmbase, MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, and Cochrane databases, bibliographies, and conference materials were searched for published RCT data and RWE on efficacy and effectiveness outcomes for fremanezumab. Electronic database and conference abstract searches were limited to articles published between January 2017 and September 2023, and January 2022 and September 2023, respectively.

resultsOf 48 publications identified for inclusion, 14 reported data from 10 RCTs and 34 reported data from 23 RWE studies. RCTs were of 8-12 weeks duration (with open-label extensions up to 52 weeks) and generally excluded individuals receiving preventive migraine treatment at baseline, and those with previous preventive treatment failures, previous exposure to CGRP pathway mAbs, or severe comorbidities. Exceptions were the UNITE study, which included participants with migraine and major depressive disorder, and the FOCUS studies, which included those with ≥ 2 prior preventive therapies. Most RWE studies included a broader population than RCTs, and were ≥ 3 months long, with some following participants for up to 2 years. Across RCTs, RWE studies, and population subgroup analyses, fremanezumab was consistently associated with improvements in monthly migraine and headache days, from as early as 4 weeks and sustained for up to 52 weeks.

conclusionWhile RCTs and RWE studies have differing strengths and weaknesses, these evidence-generation approaches have together highlighted the potential benefit of fremanezumab for preventive migraine treatment among broad, heterogenous patient populations.

Indexed as

Antibodies, MonoclonalCalcitonin Gene-Related PeptideMigraine DisordersRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicHumansTreatment OutcomeAntibodies, MonoclonalCalcitonin Gene-Related PeptidefremanezumabCalcitonin gene-related peptideChronic migraineEffectivenessEfficacyEpisodic migraineFremanezumabMigraineMigraine preventionRandomized controlled trialReal-world evidence

Identifiers

PMID42310163
PMCPMC13499847

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.