BRANFORD, Conn., May 11 (UPI) -- Neurogen said Thursday its insomnia treatment candidate, NG2-73 improved the time to onset of sleep in a phase 2 study.
In the multi-center study, which involved 369 healthy adults, the drug reduced the time to onset of persistent sleep at all doses tested compared to placebo.
"The fast onset of action of this compound may serve to differentiate it from other sleep agents, providing an important treatment option for patients suffering from insomnia," Gary Zammit, the study's principal investigator and clinical associate professor of psychology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, said in a statement issued by Neurogen.
Neurogen President and CEO William Koster said the company has narrowed its focus on the therapeutic dose range of NG2-73, which it plans to use in subsequent studies.
In the phase 2 study, the compound was well-tolerated at all dose levels, Neurogen said. There were no drug-related serious adverse events or drug-related premature subject withdrawals.
