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The new face of Modafinil? Cephalon Files New Drug Application for NUVIGIL

Cephalon Files New Drug Application for NUVIGIL(TM)

 

 

Cephalon, Inc. announced today that it has filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking approval to market NUVIGIL (TM) ( armodafinil) Tablets [C-IV] to improve wakefulness in patients suffering from excessive sleepiness associated with narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSA/HS). NUVIGIL is a single-isomer formulation of modafinil, the active pharmaceutical ingredient contained in PROVIGIL® (modafinil) Tablets [C-IV].

 

Two brands of Armodafinil are currently available online:  Waklert and Artvigil.

 

The NDA is based on positive results of four double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of NUVIGIL in patients with excessive sleepiness associated with either narcolepsy, SWSD or OSA/HS. The data in this filing show that the primary endpoints of all studies were met and suggest that NUVIGIL is differentiated from PROVIGIL.

“This is the third of five FDA approvals that we will be pursuing over a 15-month time period,” said Dr. Paul Blake, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Clinical Research & Regulatory Affairs at Cephalon. “Cephalon is a pioneer in developing compounds for improving wakefulness, and this on- schedule filing allows us to reinforce our leadership position in the treatment of disorders of sleep and wakefulness,” added Dr. Blake.

About the Clinical Studies

In four, 12-week studies, daily doses of 150 and 250 milligrams of NUVIGIL or placebo were administered to approximately 1,000 patients with excessive sleepiness associated with either narcolepsy, OSA/HS or SWSD. The primary endpoints in all studies were measures of objective sleep latency (Maintenance of Wakefulness Test or Multiple Sleep Latency Test) and the physician rating of Clinical Global Impression-Change. In each study, patients treated with NUVIGIL showed a statistically significant improvement on both primary endpoints compared to placebo (all p values <0.05). Moreover, recordings and patient diaries showed that compared with placebo, NUVIGIL did not disturb patients’ normal sleep schedule.

In these Phase 3 studies, NUVIGIL was generally well tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with that observed in studies of PROVIGIL. The most common adverse effects observed included headache, nausea, dizziness, insomnia and anxiety.

About Excessive Sleepiness

Excessive sleepiness is the primary symptom – and often the most debilitating feature – patients experience with OSA/HS, SWSD and narcolepsy. Associated with a reduction of activity in the cerebral cortex of the brain, the defining characteristic of excessive sleepiness is a consistent inability to stay awake and alert enough to safely and successfully accomplish tasks of daily living. While millions of Americans suffer from excessive sleepiness associated with narcolepsy, OSA/HS and SWSD, they are often misdiagnosed and the rate of underdiagnosis has been estimated to be between 50 to 90 percent. Persons experiencing excessive sleepiness who seek medical attention typically complain of fatigue, tiredness, lapses of attention, lack of energy, low motivation, difficulty concentrating, disrupted sleep, snoring or difficulties at work.

Cephalon, Inc.

Cephalon currently employs approximately 2,300 people in the United States and Europe. U.S. sites include the company’s corporate headquarters in Frazer, Pennsylvania, and offices, laboratories or manufacturing facilities in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Salt Lake City, Utah, and suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota. Cephalon’s European offices are located in Guildford, England, Martinsried, Germany, and Maisons-Alfort, France.

The company currently markets three proprietary products in the United States: PROVIGIL, GABITRIL® (tiagabine hydrochloride) Tablets and ACTIQ® (oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate) [C-II], and more than 20 products internationally. Further information about Cephalon and full prescribing information on its U.S. products is available at https://www.cephalon.com or by calling 1-800-896-5855.