New England Journal of Medicine publication: New drug offers hope for patients with narcolepsy type 1
A study published in New England Journal of Medicine gives hope to patients with narcolepsy type 1. The drug oveporexton shows a very good effect on reducing daytime sleepiness, increasing daytime alertness and reducing cataplexy - but some also experience side effects. TAK-861 (oveporexton drug, which is taken as tablets by mouth twice daily) shows promising results in phase 3 study.
Kristian Bernhard Nilsen, leader of the Research Group for Applied Neurophysiology, has been responsible for Oslo University Hospital's participation in the clinical trial, in collaboration with neurologist and somnologist Ragnhild Berling Grande from the National Center for Rare Diagnoses, Brain diseases unit and several others in the study group at OUS.
From left: Jørn Klepp Thorgersen (study coordinator), Ragnhild Berling Grande, Karen Schønberg (both neurologists) Kristian Bernhard Nilsen (project manager, professor, clinical neurophysiologist), and Nathalia Zak (project physician). Study nurse Renate Ullenes Fevang was not present when the photo was taken.
Links:
Comprehensive popular science article about the findings (in Norwegian), from Oslo University Hospital:
Ny vitenskapelig artikkel om klinisk studie
Nytt legemiddel gir håp for pasienter med narkolepsi type 1, by Marit Skram (oslo-universitetssykehus.no)
The NEJM article:
Dauvilliers Y, Mignot E, Antczak J, Arnulf I, Barateau L, Buntinx E, Corser B, Iranzo A, Khatami R, Lammers GJ, Lederer K, Nilsen KB, Pizza F, Schmidt MH, Sivam S, Sum-Ping O, Taniguchi M, Zhan S, Abraham A, Cai A, Du Y, Etherton MR, Faessel H, Hsiao S, Kadali H, Koundourakis E, Naylor M, Neuwirth R, Olsson T, Rogers R et al. (2026)
Oveporexton for Narcolepsy Type 1 - Results from Two Phase 3 Trials
N Engl J Med
Published September 9, 2026, DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa2601598, PubMed 42714024
Research group for applied neurophysiology, headed by Kristian Bernhard Nilsen