Zolpidem of benefit as brain damage therapy

UK pharmaceutical developer ReGen Therapeutics says that data from its study of the drug zolpidem, a long-established and safe treatment for insomnia, suggests that it is of benefit in the treatment of patients with vegetative brain damage. Specifically, the trial, which was published in the research journal Neurorehabilitation, showed that the compound displayed an arousal effect in three subjects in a permanent vegetative state following brain damage, and that this effect was maintained following daily treatment over a period of up to six years.

During the program, zolpidem's effects were assessed using established debility measures, with long-term response to the compound investigated after three years of treatment. The study also demonstrated that the efficacy of the compound did not diminish over the extended treatment period, and that there were no side effects associated with daily use. In addition, single-photon emission computed tomography scans were carried out which showed that the drug stimultated activity in areas of the brain which had been dormant prior to the initiation of treatment.

Commenting on the results, Percy Lomax, Regen's chief executive, said: "it is encouraging that the effect is so beneficial to patients, that it is maintained over a long period and that the drug is well-tolerated." He added that the sleepiness associated with the product could be minimized to acceptable levels with new developmental formulations of zolpiderm. The firm added that it is undertaking a Phase IIa clinical proof-of-concept study.