On August 5, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug oveporexton for the treatment of type 1 narcolepsy in adults. This was reported by the FDA and Takeda, the company that developed the drug. Oveporexton is an orexin receptor agonist designed to directly activate the orexin system, which regulates wakefulness, attention, and motivation.
According to Takeda, oveporexton significantly improved daily functioning in patients with type 1 narcolepsy during the Phase 3 FirstLight and RadiantLight studies. In December 2025, a study published in JAMA Neurology showed moderate and significant improvements in attention, memory, and executive functions in 112 patients with type 1 narcolepsy after 8 weeks of oveporexton treatment.
Scientists are exploring the potential use of orexin agonists to improve concentration in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Alkermes has already announced plans to advance its orexin agonist ALKS 7290 into clinical trials for the treatment of adult ADHD, as reported by Yahoo Finance.
On February 10, 2026, the FDA accepted Takeda's application for oveporexton (TAK-861) and granted it priority review status, according to Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
