(Reuters) - Biohaven has met the main goal in a study evaluating its drug in patients with an inherited disease that mainly affects the brain, the company said on Monday.

The drug troriluzole showed clinically meaningful slowing of disease progression in patients with Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA), the company said.

The neurodegenerative disease affects about 15,000 people in the United States, according to company estimates.

Shares of Biohaven, rose more than 20% in premarket trading.

(Reporting by Christy Santhosh; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Shailesh Kuber)