Meda, Orexo develop insomnia treatment

SOMERSET, N.J. Meda Pharmaceuticals has introduced a drug for insomnia that uses the same active ingredient as Sanofi Aventis’ Ambien.

The difference is that Edluar (zolpidem tartrate) tablets, which Meda developed under a partnership with Sweden-based Orexo, are inserted underneath the tongue.

“Insomnia is a serious and common medical problem that affects tens of millions of Americans,” Meda president and general manager Sharon Clarke said in a statement. “With the introduction of Edluar sublingual tablets, patients with insomnia who have trouble falling asleep now have another treatment option.”

The National Sleep Foundation’s “Sleep in America” poll recently showed that one-in-five people surveyed have difficulty falling asleep at least a few nights a week.

“Insomnia is a complex problem because patients can present with a variety of troubling symptoms,” Meda VP medical affairs Harry Sacks said. “Edluar combines the efficacy and safety profile of zolpidem tartrate – an agent used for 17 years – with a new sublingual formulation that is convenient for patients with short-term insomnia whose primary complaint is the inability to fall asleep.”