Wake Up to Change: New Targets and Therapeutic Strategies in Narcolepsy

This activity was originally presented live at Asembia's AXS26 Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada

Program Description

Narcolepsy is a chronic, often debilitating neurological disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and, in many cases, cataplexy, resulting from the autoimmune-mediated loss of hypocretin-producing neurons. Narcolepsy has a profound impact on patient quality of life and functional outcomes, and treatment and management can be complicated by the cardiovascular risk profiles, safety considerations, and real-world tolerability of available therapies. Despite available therapies, unmet needs remain in achieving optimal symptom control and long-term treatment persistence. This session provides a deep dive into the evolving narcolepsy treatment landscape, emphasizing the critical role of the hypocretin (orexin) system in regulating wakefulness and REM sleep. Participants will explore current management strategies, including traditional sodium oxybate formulations and newer agents like pitolisant and solriamfetol, while examining the clinical data for emerging orexin receptor agonists that aim to address the underlying pathophysiology of narcolepsy. Pharmacists can assist in the integration of new therapies into existing treatment plans and adjust existing regimens to incorporate adjunctive therapies. Through case-based discussions, the session will focus on translating guideline recommendations into clinical practice, empowering pharmacists to manage complex polypharmacy, optimize treatment sequencing, and provide essential patient counseling to improve safety and therapeutic outcomes. The session will also touch on considerations relevant to formulary evaluation and coverage decision-making to support appropriate access and sustained treatment benefit.

Target audience: Specialty Pharmacist
Type of Activity: Application
Release date: May 12, 2026
Expiration date: May 12, 2027
Learner level: Foundational, Intermediate
Time to complete activity: 1.5 hour
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Identify the pathophysiology of narcolepsy and the role of the hypocretin (orexin) system in regulating wakefulness and REM sleep
• Explain the clinical efficacy and safety of approved and investigational therapeutic options for managing narcolepsy.
• Apply knowledge of the mechanism of action of therapeutic options for narcolepsy to patient counseling scenarios and medication management decisions

Accreditation

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-0000-26-124-H01-P. The activity is available for CE credit through May 12, 2027.

Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit

To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, view the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.

Faculty

Zachary Contreras, PharmD, has the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose:

Consultant: Ferrington Pharmaceuticals

Alon Avidan, MD, MPH, FAAN, FAASM, has the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose:

Consultant: Avadel, Takeda
Speakers Bureau: Avadel, Lilly

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ Planning Staff—Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Rose Buszka, PharmD, BCPS, CHCP; Kylie Ferrentino; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; and Chloe Taccetta have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Any relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

At least one anonymous peer reviewer was used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewer has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Educational Disclaimer

Continuing professional education activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved by the labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.

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