FDA Advisory Committee recommends suvorexant (Merck Inc.) for treatment of Insomnia

The Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA has voted 13-3, with one abstention, that suvorexant, the first in a new class of medicines called orexin receptor antagonists, from Merck Inc. for treatment of Insomnia, is safe for elderly patients at 15mg a day, and for non-elderly adults at 20mg. However, the panel voted 8-7, with two abstentions, that the drug is unsafe when given to the elderly patients at 30mg or non-elderly adults at 40mg.

The committee voted 12 to 4 and 16 to 0, with one abstention, that the drug works in inducing and maintaining sleep.