Merck's Belsomra gets FDA approval for insomnia

14 August 2014

US Pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) has received US Food and Drug Administration approval for its insomnia treatment Belsomra (suvorexant) for adults. It is a selective antagonist for orexin receptors, which work to combat orexin, a neurotransmitter that can help keep a person awake.

In the trials to support its efficacy, it was superior to placebo for sleep latency and maintenance as assessed by polysomnography and patient-estimated sleep latency.

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