Lunesta for Chronic Insomnia

Bipolar Medications Library

In December 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new medication for insomnia – Lunesta. Lunesta is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic agent. Hypnotic drugs are sleep medications. Lunesta is used to treat several types of sleep problems - difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and waking up too early in the morning.

The generic brand eszopiclone was previously marketed by Sepracor Inc. as the brand name Estorra. Sepracor will now distribute this drug as Lunesta; and of particular note, the drug has now received approval to be prescribed without the recommendation that use be limited to less than two weeks.

"This novel non-benzodiazepine sleep aid provides a new option for the millions of Americans with chronic insomnia. Unlike all other available prescription sleep aids, which are generally indicated for short-term use, eszopiclone has been studied and approved for use when longer-term treatment is needed,’ said Andrew Krystal, M.D., Director of the Sleep Disorder Research Laboratory and Insomnia Program at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC” (PR Newswire).