Axsome Therapeutics Announces Publication of Post-hoc Analysis of Sunosi® Effect on Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Narcolepsy or Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients with a History of Depression in the Journal of Psychiatric Research

Rhea-AI Summary

Axsome Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AXSM) announced a post-hoc analysis showing that its drug Sunosi® (solriamfetol) effectively reduces excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in patients with and without a history of depression. This analysis, derived from two randomized, placebo-controlled trials, confirms a significant prevalence of depression among EDS patients. Sunosi is the only dual-acting dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor approved for improving wakefulness in adults with EDS due to narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea.

Positive

• Sunosi demonstrated efficacy in improving EDS symptoms in both depressed and non-depressed patients.
• The analysis confirms the high prevalence (20%-35%) of depression in patients with narcolepsy or OSA, highlighting the need for increased awareness.

Negative

• None.

NEW YORK, Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXSM), a biopharmaceutical company developing and delivering novel therapies for the management of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced the publication of a post-hoc analysis comparing the effects of Sunosi® (solriamfetol) on excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in patients with and without a history of depression. Sunosi is the first and only dual-acting dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (DNRI) indicated to improve wakefulness in adult patients with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) due to narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

This secondary analysis included data from two 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in adult patients with EDS associated with narcolepsy or OSA. The analysis showed that treatment with Sunosi improved EDS symptoms both in patients with and without a clinical history of depression, compared to placebo. The results also confirmed earlier findings of a high prevalence (20%– 35%) of a history of depression in participants with narcolepsy or OSA, and suggest that increased awareness of this association may have clinical significance. Common treatment-emergent adverse events were also similar in those with and without a history of depression.

The article, "Solriamfetol Treatment of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Participants with Narcolepsy or Obstructive Sleep Apnea with a History of Depression," was published in The Journal of Psychiatric Research and is available in full here.

About Sunosi® (solriamfetol)

Sunosi is a dual-acting dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor shown to improve wakefulness in adults living with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) due to narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Sunosi received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval on March 20, 2019 to improve wakefulness in adult patients with EDS associated with narcolepsy or OSA and was designated a Schedule IV medicine by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency on June 17, 2019. SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., the discoverer of the compound, maintains rights in 12 Asian markets, including Korea, China and Japan. Sunosi has orphan drug designation for narcolepsy in the United States.

More information about Sunosi, including Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide, is available here.

Important Safety Information

SUNOSI (solriamfetol) is available in 75 mg and 150 mg tablets and is a federally controlled substance (CIV) because it contains solriamfetol that can be a target for people who abuse prescription medicines or street drugs. Keep SUNOSI in a safe place to protect it from theft. Never give or sell your SUNOSI to anyone else because it may cause death or harm them and it is against the law. Tell your doctor if you have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.

Before taking SUNOSI, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney problems, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
• have had a heart attack or a stroke.
• have a history of mental health problems (including psychosis and bipolar disorders), or of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction.
• are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known if SUNOSI will harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SUNOSI passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take SUNOSI.
  

What are the possible side effects of SUNOSI?

SUNOSI may cause serious side effects, including:

• Increased blood pressure and heart rate. SUNOSI can cause blood pressure and heart rate increases that can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and death. Your doctor should check your blood pressure before, and during, treatment with SUNOSI. Your doctor may decrease your dose or tell you to stop taking SUNOSI if you develop high blood pressure that does not go away during treatment with SUNOSI.

• Mental (psychiatric) symptoms including anxiety, problems sleeping (insomnia), irritability, and agitation. Tell your doctor if you develop any of these symptoms. Your doctor may change your dose or tell you to stop taking SUNOSI if you develop side effects during treatment with SUNOSI.

The most common side effects of SUNOSI include:

• headache
• decreased appetite
• problems sleeping
• nausea
• anxiety

These are not all the possible side effects of SUNOSI. Call your doctor for advice about side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please find full Prescribing Information here: https://sunosihcp.com/assets/files/sunosi-pi.pdf

SUN CON ISI 05/2022

About Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

Obstructive sleep apnea, commonly referred to as sleep apnea, is a highly prevalent disease (as high as 14% in men and 5% in women) in which excessive daytime sleepiness is a major presenting complaint in many cases. Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy, with its most common form being Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), has been shown to be an effective therapy for sleep apnea that frequently results in improvement in excessive daytime sleepiness in many patients; however, not all patients tolerate CPAP therapy and among those who tolerate CPAP, usage is highly variable. Excessive daytime sleepiness may persist in people with sleep apnea despite using CPAP.

About Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a serious and debilitating neurological condition that causes dysregulation of the sleep-wake cycle and is characterized clinically by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and disrupted nocturnal sleep. Narcolepsy afflicts an estimated 185,000 individuals in the U.S. Narcolepsy interferes with cognitive, psychological, and social functioning, increases the risk of work- and driving-related accidents, and is associated with a 1.5-fold higher mortality rate.

About Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.

Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing and delivering novel therapies for CNS conditions that have limited treatment options. Through development of therapeutic options with novel mechanisms of action, we are transforming the approach to treating CNS conditions. At Axsome, we are committed to developing products that meaningfully improve the lives of patients and provide new therapeutic options for physicians. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at axsome.com. The Company may occasionally disseminate material, nonpublic information on the company website.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release are “forward-looking statements”. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. In particular, the Company’s statements regarding trends and potential future results are examples of such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the continued commercial success of our Sunosi® product and the success of our efforts to obtain any additional indication(s) with respect to Sunosi; the commercial success of our Auvelity™ product and the success of our efforts to obtain any additional indication(s) with respect to AXS-05, the success, timing and cost of our ongoing clinical trials and anticipated clinical trials for our current product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of initiation, pace of enrollment and completion of the trials (including our ability to fully fund our disclosed clinical trials, which assumes no material changes to our currently projected expenses), futility analyses and receipt of interim results, which are not necessarily indicative of the final results of our ongoing clinical trials, and the number or type of studies or nature of results necessary to support the filing of a new drug application (“NDA”) for any of our current product candidates; our ability to fund additional clinical trials to continue the advancement of our product candidates; the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) or other regulatory authority approval of, or other action with respect to, our product candidates (including, but not limited to,; whether issues identified by FDA in the complete response letter may impact the potential approvability of the Company’s NDA for AXS-07 for the acute treatment of migraine in adults with or without aura, pursuant to our special protocol assessment for the MOMENTUM clinical trial; the Company’s ability to successfully defend its intellectual property or obtain the necessary licenses at a cost acceptable to the Company, if at all; the successful implementation of the Company’s research and development programs and collaborations; the success of the Company’s license agreements; the acceptance by the market of the Company’s product candidates, if approved; the Company’s anticipated capital requirements, including the amount of capital required for the successful commercialization of Sunosi and Auvelity and for the Company’s commercial launch of its other product candidates, and the potential impact on the Company’s anticipated cash runway; unforeseen circumstances or other disruptions to normal business operations arising from or related to COVID-19; and other factors, including general economic conditions and regulatory developments, not within the Company’s control. The factors discussed herein could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstance.

Axsome Contact:
Mark Jacobson
Chief Operating Officer
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
22 Cortlandt Street, 16^th Floor
New York, NY 10007
Tel: 212-332-3243
Email: mjacobson@axsome.com
www.axsome.com

FAQ

What were the findings of Axsome Therapeutics' recent analysis on Sunosi?

The analysis found that Sunosi effectively reduces excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with and without a history of depression.

What is Sunosi indicated for?

Sunosi is indicated for improving wakefulness in adults with excessive daytime sleepiness due to narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea.

When was Sunosi approved by the FDA?

Sunosi received FDA approval on March 20, 2019.

What are the common adverse events associated with Sunosi?

Common treatment-emergent adverse events include headache, decreased appetite, insomnia, nausea, and anxiety.

How prevalent is depression among patients with narcolepsy or OSA according to the study?

The study confirmed that 20%–35% of participants with narcolepsy or OSA have a history of depression.