Summary
Nuvigil (armodafinil, Cephalon: CEPH), was reported to reduce sleepiness associated with jet lag in people who traveled east from the United States to France. Nuvigiol should help to ease the transition from time zone travel, but some aspects of sleep, namely REM sleep shifting to the new time zone, will take several days. Nuvigil should increase job performance, functional behavior, ease the discomfort and safety risks during jet lag effects, during the adjustment of the biological sleep rhythm to the new time zone. The wake promoting Scedule IV medication, Provigil, has been FDA approved and helpful for patients with narcolepsy (since 1998), sleep apnea with persisting excessive sleepiness and shift workers, for both acute and long-term use. It has a good safety and effectiveness track record and with Xyrem, has been very beneficial for patients with narcolepsy over long term use.
Analysis
Cephalon (CEPH) continues to do exceptional research and development for continued succes of this product, now in a new longer acting form called Nuvigil (armodafinil), for continued success of this medication to the benefit of many patients. Nuvigil is likely to be approved by the FDA for jet lag, making vactationers safer during the transitional period, e.g., helping to make them safer drivers, should help to decrease accidents and mishaps due to jet lag and excessive sleepiness, as well as increase their job performance or quality time to enjoy their vacaton.
Other approaches to coping with jet lag can involve gradually shifting your sleep-wake time to your destination, starting 1-2 weeks before the trip and/or adjusting your diet, etc., often difficult to do. Hypnotics, e.g., Lunesta (Sepracor), which does not suppress REM sleep up to 3 mg, or Ambien (Sanofi-Aventis) are used to help promote sleep once you have arrived, but often one needs to "hit the ground running", e.g., rent a car, drive to a destination, have meetings, etc. So Nuvigil should help prevent excessive sleepiness, improve performance, increase driving and accident safety, and help to hit the ground running for time zone travelers.
