Sleep Disorder Drugs That Target Brain Circuitry Show Promise

Alkermes Plc said an experimental drug improved wakefulness and reduced daytime sleepiness in people with a form of narcolepsy, a finding that suggests a promising new class of medicines could help more patients than originally expected.

The company’s drug, alixorexton, benefited patients with narcolepsy type 2 in a study, Alkermes said in a presentation at a Baltimore sleep conference on Wednesday. It’s among the first trials to demonstrate that a new class of drugs called orexin receptor agonists can work against this type of narcolepsy.

Existing treatments largely rely on stimulants or sleep-promoting medicines, which can have limitations and typically ...