NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery Serves as TN Drug Clinical Trial Study Site

(Rockville Centre, NY – September 22, 2022) The Lake Success, New York office of NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery has been approved to serve as one of several “study sites” for a nationwide clinical trial of a drug to treat the pain of Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN), a neuropathic facial pain condition that produces sudden, excruciating pain in the jaw or cheek area on one side of an affected person’s face.

According to Jeffrey A. Brown M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.A.N.S., a senior partner and attending neurosurgeon at NSPC, the clinical trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of a drug manufactured by Biohaven Pharmaceuticals called Rimegepant compared to a placebo for adults, 18 years or older. A nationally known expert in the treatment of TN, Dr. Brown serves as the Facial Pain Association (FPA) Medical Advisory Board National Chairman.

Dr. Brown notes that Rimegepant “has been shown to be safe and efficacious for the treatment of migraine headaches” and is approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition. “Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a potentially new use for this medication,” he says, “which works by a different mechanism than the established drugs currently in use and may be effective in treating the pain of TN.”

The Biohaven Pharmaceuticals’ TN study is open to patients, reports Dr. Brown, “with poorly controlled trigeminal neuralgia as determined by careful evaluation. It will be double blinded and will take approximately seven to nine weeks to complete, with an opportunity to continue for an additional 12 weeks.  Participants may be able to continue a stabilized dosage of their current medications.” Patients will be randomly assigned either Rimegepant or a placebo.

Screening evaluations and an MRI may be required prior to enrollment in the study. A series of pain scale evaluations, as well as blood tests, will be completed during the trial to assure the safety of participants.

For more information about the Biohaven Rimegepant TN Study, please call (516) 442-2250, Extension 2004, or visit www.nspc.com/tn-clinical-trial.

# # #

ABOUT NSPC BRAIN & SPINE SURGERY (NSPC)

Founded in Freeport in 1958, NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery (NSPC) has grown to become one of the largest, private neurosurgical groups in the U.S. with seven conveniently located offices on Long Island. The practice’s 21 experienced neurosurgeons are experts in “Bloodless” spine and brain surgery, including endoscopic spine surgery, radiosurgery, endoscopic brain surgery, and other minimally invasive techniques. These advanced procedures are used to treat herniated disc, spinal stenosis, brain tumors, trigeminal neuralgia, and other conditions. Please visit www.nspc.com for more information.