Pharmaceutical Business review

Merck insomnia drug posts positive data

In the clinical studies, presented at the SLEEP 20th anniversary meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, electroencephalogram (EEG) analyses showed that gaboxadol (5, 10, 15 and 20mg) caused statistically significant increases in deep sleep, as compared to placebo.

In the studies, gaboxadol 10mg and 20 mg increased slow wave activity by 33% and 54%. Slow waves are the characteristic and predominant waveform during deep and restorative sleep.

“These data showed that gaboxadol consistently increased the intensity of, and time spent in, deep or restorative sleep,” said Stephen Deacon, a lead investigator and head of Clinical Development, Sleep Disorders, Lundbeck UK “The research helps to support gaboxadol's potential as a new and different treatment for insomnia.”