We have been pioneering innovation in sleep medicine for over 20 years, with the priorities of those living with hard-to-treat conditions embedded into our drug development process from early drug discovery stages through commercialization and beyond.
We put the priorities of patients first throughout our research and our Phase 4 studies in narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia exemplify how this approach is pushing our understanding of sleep conditions further. By centering the voices of those living with sleep conditions in our trial designs we ensure our studies evaluate symptoms that have a meaningful impact on their lives. Engaging with trial participants and listening to their needs may boost trial retention and validate their experiences – which is important for a community whose symptoms are often misunderstood.
Narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia are chronic, neurologic sleep disorders with their own distinct set of symptoms. These conditions impact most aspects of people’s lives from their sleep health to overall well-being and often require lifelong symptom management.1,2,3
Diagnosing narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia can be complicated by low levels of awareness and overlapping symptoms with other medical conditions.4,5 That is why it’s important for research to provide meaningful insights that have real-world applications such as understanding certain underlying aspects of the conditions like the impact of daily function and the effects they have on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular health.
Results from our Phase 4 studies are adding to the growing body of research shedding a light on the experiences of people living with sleep conditions. As part of our long-standing commitment to people living with sleep disorders, we will continue to develop and use innovative clinical trial techniques to understand their experiences so that we can empower them to embrace a healthier future. Read more here.
We will continue challenging the status quo and learning more about aspects of sleep – from understanding sleep architecture to uncovering more about cardiovascular comorbidities – so we can provide more holistic approaches to patient health.
1National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Narcolepsy. www.ninds.nih.gov. Published 2023. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/narcolepsy; Last accessed May 2024.
2Evangelista E, Lopez R, Dauvilliers Y. Update on treatment for idiopathic hypersomnia. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2018 Feb;27(2):187-192.
3Ozaki A, Inoue Y, Hayashida K, Nakajima T, Honda M, Usui A, Komada Y, Kobayashi M, Takahashi K. Quality of life in patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy, narcolepsy without cataplexy, and idiopathic hypersomnia without long sleep time: comparison between patients on psychostimulants, drug-naïve patients and the general Japanese population. Sleep Med. 2012 Feb;13(2):200-6.
4Krahn, L.E., Zee, P.C. & Thorpy, M.J. Current Understanding of Narcolepsy 1 and its Comorbidities: What Clinicians Need to Know. Adv Ther. 39, 221–243 (2022).
5Masri TJ, Gonzales CG, Kushida CA. Idiopathic hypersomnia. Sleep Med Clin. 2012;7(2):283-289
