Results of the study demonstrated that ACP-103 induced a robust and statistically significant increase in slow wave sleep that was dose-related. ACP-103 treatment also had a positive impact on measures for sleep maintenance, including decreases in the number of awakenings after sleep onset and in the time awake after sleep onset.
ACP-103 is a serotonin 5-HT2A inverse agonist that works by blocking the activity of this key receptor.
“These data provide a proof-of-concept of the ability of ACP-103 to improve the quality of sleep by increasing slow wave sleep,” said Dr Uli Hacksell, CEO of Acadia. “This suggests that ACP-103 has potential as a novel treatment for sleep maintenance insomnia.”
“Acadia is currently in phase II clinical development with ACP-103 for use in schizophrenia and treatment-induced dysfunctions in Parkinson’s disease, two indications with patients who frequently suffer from sleep disturbances,” continued Dr Hacksell.