While many treatments are available for papules and pustules of rosacea, few are available for erythema and flushing. The 2019 Global Rosacea Consensus Panel recommends general skincare, β-blockers (eg, propranolol and carvedilol), and α-adrenergic agents (eg, brimonidine and oxymetazoline) for flushing and vascular lasers for persistent erythema.¹ Because these treatments may not always be effective or tolerated, there remains an unmet need for additional options that can address symptoms of flushing and erythema in rosacea.

There is an association of rosacea with risk of migraine, and both conditions feature neurovascular reactivity as part of their pathogenesis.² Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a signaling neuropeptide thought to influence neurovascular reactivity, and several CGRP inhibitors are available for the treatment of migraine. Notably, patients with rosacea have elevated levels of CGRP present in their blood and facial skin biopsies, suggesting CGRP inhibition might have a role in the management of rosacea.