A recent study presented at the 2023 SLEEP Annual Meeting suggests that samelisant, a histamine 3 receptor inverse agonist, may be a potential treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who experience excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). In the study conducted on hemiparkinsonian animals, samelisant treatment resulted in increased wake time and decreased sleep time. The treatment also showed a dose-dependent increase in wakefulness and a decrease in rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep periods.
Preclinical studies demonstrated that samelisant exhibited desired pharmacokinetic properties and favorable brain penetration in rodents. It also produced wake-promoting effects in orexin knockout mice. EDS affects a significant percentage of patients with PD, often associated with the use of dopamine agonists. Samelisant has successfully completed preclinical and phase 1 clinical studies and is currently being evaluated in a phase 2 study for narcolepsy. The results of the study are expected in August 2023.
Reference: Ciccone I. Samelisant Shows Potential as a Treatment for Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Parkinson Disease. Neurology Live. Updated June 7, 2023. Accessed June 26, 2023. https://www.neurologylive.com/view/samelisant-shows-potential-excessive-daytime-sleepiness-parkinson-disease
