AbbVie's Qulipta shows superior tolerability and efficacy versus topiramate in Phase 3 TEMPLE migraine study

What happened: AbbVie announced on 2 November 2026 that results from the Phase 3 TEMPLE study were published in The Lancet Neurology. The randomised, double-blind, head-to-head trial compared atogepant (QULIPTA) 60 mg once daily with the highest tolerated dose of topiramate (50-100 mg per day) for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults. Atogepant, a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist — a medicine that blocks a protein involved in migraine pain signalling — demonstrated superior tolerability and efficacy versus topiramate.

Why it matters: Topiramate is a widely used migraine-prevention medicine but is often discontinued because of side effects such as cognitive dulling. The head-to-head evidence positions Qulipta as an effective oral preventive with a better tolerated profile, supporting its use as a first-line option for the ~5 million Canadians (and tens of millions worldwide) living with migraine, a condition that remains underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Read more: Life Sciences BC via AbbVie, 2 November 2026