Alkermes' Sleep-Drug Class Shows Early Promise Against ADHD
- Alkermes reported positive Phase 1b data for ALKS 7290, an orexin 2 receptor agonist, showing a substantial reduction in ADHD symptom scores after two weeks at the high dose, with the drug generally well tolerated.
- Cognitive and EEG-based biomarker tests also showed improvements in processing speed, working memory, and sustained attention.
- A Phase 2 study is now enrolling, with data expected in 2027.
💡 Points
Orexin agonists have mostly been a narcolepsy story (Takeda, Axsome); Alkermes just repositioned the same mechanism as a wakefulness/cognition play for ADHD, a market still dominated by stimulants and Qelbree-style non-stimulants. The Phase 1b n is small and it's only two-week data, but the EEG biomarker improvements give it more credibility than a symptom-score readout alone would.
Alkermes' orexin agonist shows potential to treat ADHD in early-stage trial ↗