The launch of sumatriptan in 1991 represented the most significant development in the acute treatment of migraine in 50 years, establishing it as the ‘gold standard’ in migraine care. The reward for Glaxo Wellcome has been sales worth $US580 million in 1996. However, with the recent launch of 2 competitor drugs, Glaxo Wellcome's own naratriptan and Zeneca's zolmitriptan, and the imminent approval of at least 3 more selective serotonin (5-HT)1receptor agonists, the migraine therapy market is becoming increasingly crowded as patients and physicians are suddenly faced with an array of treatment options. This weekInpharmatakes a look at what sets these new agents apart and differentiates them from the standard set by sumatriptan.