Takeda Says Narcolepsy Drug Effective in Mid-Stage Study

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.’s drug candidate to treat narcolepsy was effective and safe in a mid-stage study, advancing the medicine to the last stage of clinical trials, the drugmaker said.

TAK-861 demonstrated statistically significant and clinical improvement in patients suffering from type 1 narcolepsy, the company said in a statement Friday. No serious adverse events were reported, and detailed results will be presented at an upcoming scientific conference, according to Takeda.

The drug is among several candidates Takeda is counting on to buffer a drop in sales when its blockbuster drug Entyvio for treating ulcerative colitis loses patent protection around ...