VIDEO: Xywav improves symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia, even severe sleep inertia

INDIANAPOLIS — Treatment with Xywav was effective in addressing symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia, regardless of baseline sleep inertia severity, according to Marisa Whalen, PharmD, in this Healio video from SLEEP 2023.

“Excessive daytime sleepiness is one of the most common symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia,” Whalen, medical director of idiopathic hypersomnia and U.S. medical affairs at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, said. “Sleep inertia is also common and burdensome.”

Whalen and colleagues conducted a post-hoc analysis of a phase 3, open-label clinical trial of 99 individuals with idiopathic hypersomnia, who began treatment with Xywav (low-dose sodium oxybate, Jazz Pharmaceuticals). After reaching an optimal dose, participants were randomized to a 2-week, double-blind withdrawal period of continued low-dose sodium oxybate or placebo.

Researchers reported that patients with severe baseline sleep inertia were more affected by disease burden, and that low-sodium oxybate was effective at addressing symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia, regardless of baseline sleep inertia severity.

“The majority of patients reported improvement with low-sodium oxybate based on the Patient Global Impression of Change,” Whalen said.