New Data on Alixorexton for Narcolepsy Type 2: Insights From Richard K. Bogan, MD

CONFERENCE REPORTER

At the SLEEP 2026 Annual Meeting, Alkermes announced positive results from the Vibrance-2 phase 2 dose-ranging study evaluating alixorexton in patients with narcolepsy type 2 (NT2).¹ Richard K. Bogan, MD, shared his thoughts on the new data with Psychiatric Times.

Alixorexton is a novel, investigational, oral, selective orexin 2 receptor agonist in development for narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), NT2, and idiopathic hypersomnia.

Once-daily alixorexton met the study’s 2 primary endpoints, demonstrating statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements from baseline compared with placebo on the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) at week 8 in adults with NT2 (N=93). Patient-reported improvements in wakefulness were sustained through the 5-week open-label extension.

Alixorexton demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements from baseline compared with placebo in mean sleep latency on the MWT at week 8 at all doses tested. Based on the pre-specified analysis, the 14 mg (P=0.049) and 18 mg (P=0.047) doses achieved statistical significance. Participants had a mean sleep latency of approximately 6 minutes at baseline. At week 8, observed mean sleep latencies were approximately 16 minutes, 14 minutes, and 14 minutes for the 10, 14, and 18 mg doses, respectively.

Alixorexton also demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements from baseline compared with placebo in excessive daytime sleepiness on the ESS across all doses tested at week 8, with statistical significance at the 18 mg dose (P=0.046) based on the pre-specified analysis. At baseline, participants had a mean ESS score of approximately 17, reflecting severe excessive daytime sleepiness. At week 8, the majority of participants receiving alixorexton across all dose groups reported normal or mild excessive daytime sleepiness. At week 13, mean ESS scores across all dose groups were within the normal range.

Dr Bogan is an associate clinical professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and an associate clinical professor at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

References

1. Alkermes presents detailed positive results from Vibrance-2 phase 2 study of alixorexton in adults with narcolepsy type 2 at SLEEP 2026. News release. June 16, 2026. Accessed June 18, 2026. https://investor.alkermes.com/news-releases/news-release-details/alkermes-presents-detailed-positive-results-vibrance-2-phase-2