Effectiveness of Pitolisant in the Treatment of Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a clinical syndrome of daytime sleepiness along with cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. Narcolepsy results from the loss of the neuropeptides orexin-A and orexin-B. Several nonpharmacologic therapies may benefit patients with narcolepsy, such as avoiding certain drugs, napping, sleep hygiene, and psychosocial support. Modafinil is a first-line pharmacologic therapy because it provides good control of sleepiness and in general is well tolerated. However, some evidence in animal models has suggested that pitolisant has no potential drug abuse liability, whereas the evidence on abuse potential is not clear for modifinil.

For this double-blind randomized, parallel-group, controlled trial, researchers recruit…