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Talking SleepAuthor: AASM
The vast field of sleep medicine is always evolving. Listen to Talking Sleep, a podcast of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), to keep up on the latest developments in clinical sleep medicine and sleep disorders. Our host, Dr. Seema Khosla, medical director of the North Dakota Center for Sleep in Fargo, will take an in-depth look at issues impacting the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. Episodes will feature conversations with clinicians, researchers, sleep team members and other health care experts working to help us sleep well so we can live well. Language: en Genres: Health & Fitness, Medicine, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Oveporexton and the Future of Narcolepsy Treatment
Episode 21
Friday, 6 November, 2026
The recent FDA approval of oveporexton represents a major milestone in the treatment of narcolepsy type 1 and the culmination of decades of research into orexin and its critical role in regulating sleep and wakefulness. In this episode of Talking Sleep, host Dr. Seema Khosla is joined by Dr. Emmanuel Mignot, a longtime leader in narcolepsy research and co-recipient of the 2026 Lasker Award for research that helped uncover the role of orexin in narcolepsy. Unlike existing therapies that primarily target the symptoms of narcolepsy, oveporexton is an orexin receptor 2 agonist designed to address the underlying loss of orexin signaling associated with narcolepsy type 1. Dr. Mignot shares his perspective on the science behind this new treatment approach and what the approval could mean for patients and clinicians. Topics include findings from clinical trials, the potential impact on excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, dosing and safety considerations, and how an orexin-targeted therapy may fit into the evolving treatment landscape. The episode also provides perspective on the scientific journey that made this advance possible. Research into the orexin system has transformed the understanding of narcolepsy and opened new possibilities for therapies that more directly address its underlying biology. The discussion considers the significance of translating those discoveries into a treatment for patients, as well as some of the questions clinicians may encounter as oveporexton enters clinical practice. Looking beyond this approval, orexin agonists may have implications that extend beyond narcolepsy. Dr. Mignot offers insight into the continued evolution of orexin research and the potential for this growing area of sleep medicine to shape the future understanding and treatment of sleep and other medical disorders. For sleep clinicians, this episode offers both a closer look at a new treatment option for narcolepsy type 1 and a broader perspective on how decades of scientific discovery can translate into meaningful advances in patient care.
