Takeda’s new sleep drug ‘has no morning-after effects’

Takeda’s new Rozerem sleep drug displayed no evidence of morning after effects, in double-blind trials carried out by the drug manufacturer.

In a study, 289 healthy adults were split into two groups – one given a dose of Rozerem and the other given a placebo – to examine the time taken for people to fall asleep. Researchers tested participants’ brain activity and body functions and issued them with a questionnaire the following morning.

Psychomotor and memory impairment tests were also completed by the patients to test the residual effects of the drug. The researchers found that participants taking the Rozerem drug experienced a reduced time to fall asleep, with little evidence of morning-after effects.

Gary Zammit, director of the Sleep Disorders Institute at St Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, commented: “Some medications taken for sleep are associated with lingering effects the next day, which could make performing activities requiring mental sharpness difficult or dangerous.”

He added: “These data suggest that Rozerem can promote sleep in patients with transient insomnia without evidence of next-day psychomotor or memory effects.”

The time taken to fall asleep dropped significantly for those on Rozerem compared to those taking the placebo drug – taking 12.2 minutes and 19.7 minutes to fall asleep respectively.

Takeda, a company originating in Japan, is to start clinical trials for Rozerem in the UK and Europe. Its UK trials will be carried out at the London Sleep Centre, which was described by the centre’s director “as an exciting opportunity for the treatment of insomnia”.

© Adfero Ltd