A popular diabetes drug also reduces the frequency of migraines.

Liraglutide, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, has also been shown to be effective in treating migraines, according to a small Italian study of 26 people with this debilitating condition.

Well-known GLP-1 agonists such as liraglutide or semaglutide (ozempic) have transformed the therapeutic approach to several diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and, according to this study carried out at the Headache Center of the University of Naples "Federico II" , if the results are confirmed, they could offer a new therapeutic option for approximately one in seven people worldwide living with migraine, especially those who do not respond to current preventive treatments.

Given the already established use of liraglutide in type 2 diabetes and obesity, it could represent a promising case of drug repurposing in neurology.

In the treatment of type 2 diabetes, liraglutide helps reduce blood sugar levels and body weight by suppressing appetite and reducing calorie intake.

Researchers administered liraglutide to 26 adults with obesity and chronic migraine (defined as ≥15 headache days per month).

And surprisingly, participants reported an average reduction of 11 headache days per month, while disability scores decreased by 35 points, indicating a clinically significant improvement in occupational, academic, and social functioning.

"Most patients felt better within the first two weeks and reported a significant improvement in their quality of life," said lead researcher Simone Braca.

GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as liraglutide, reduce cerebrospinal fluid secretion and have already been shown to be effective in the treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Therefore, based on these observations, Braca and his team hypothesized that harnessing this same mechanism of action could mitigate the cortical and trigeminal sensitization that underlies migraine.

"We believe that by reducing pressure inside the skull, these drugs decrease the release of a substance called CGRP, which is closely linked to migraines," Braca explained. "This suggests that controlling that pressure could be a new way to treat migraines with drugs."

Following this 12-week exploratory pilot study, the same research team is planning a randomized, double-blind trial with direct or indirect measurement of intracranial pressure. "We want to determine whether other GLP-1 medications can offer the same relief , possibly with fewer gastrointestinal side effects," Braca says.