After multiple stops and starts, biotechnology company Cephalon Inc has won US approval for its drug to treat excessive sleepiness in patients with conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea. The Frazer, Pennsylvania-based company said on Monday that the US Food and Drug Administration approved the drug, Nuvigil.
To treat overwhelming sleepiness associated with sleep apnea, narcolepsy and shift work. Nuvigil is a follow-on version of the company's drug Provigil, Cephalon's biggest-selling product, with 2006 sales of $728 million. The patent on the drug is due to expire in 2012.