Indiplon: a single compound in two formulations for the treatment of insomnia

Abstract

Indiplon is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic being developed for the treatment of insomnia by Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. It is an allosteric modulator of the γ-amino butyric acid-α receptor complex with very high affinity for the α₁ subunit, which is associated with hypnotic activity, sedation and amnesia. Indiplon has been developed in two different formulations: an immediate-release version targeting sleep initiation insomnia and a modified-release version addressing sleep maintenance insomnia. Early results from clinical trials indicate that both formulations are well tolerated and effective at improving objective and subjective measures of sleep.

Keywords: :

• GABA_A receptor
• indiplon
• insomnia
• nonbenzodiazepine
• sedative

Disclosure

The author has received payments for consultancies, research, and/or speaker‘s bureau activities from the sponsors whose products are identified in this review: Neurocrine Biosciences, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Sepracor, Elan, King and Takeda.

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank Ms Bridget Banas for her assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.