U.S. FDA approves Merck insomnia drug

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U.S. FDA approves Merck insomnia drug

By Toni Clarke WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday it has approved a new insomnia drug made by Merck & Co. The drug, to be called Belsomra, is the first in a new class of sedatives that block chemicals in the brain called orexins that help keep people awake. As a result, the FDA said, no more than one pill should be taken per night and the dose should not exceed 20 milligrams. The FDA had asked Merck to study the next-day driving performance of people who took the drug amid concerns the sedative could lead to next-day drowsiness. The test showed impaired driving in patients who took 20 milligrams of the drug.

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