New Restless Leg Drug Approved by FDA

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) isn’t exactly a sleep disorder, but it CAN rob sufferers of hours of sleep.  Now those sufferers may have relief.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug that treats moderate-to-severe RLS.

People who have RLS describe unpleasant feelings in their legs, such as pulling, itching, tingling, burning, or aching. Moving their legs temporarily relieves these feelings. The urge to move often happens in bed. The symptoms typically are worse in the evening and early morning.

The new drug, called Horizant, was developed by GlaxoSmithKline Plc and XenoPort Inc.  The FDA approved Horizant based on two 12-week studies done in adults. Those studies showed improvement in restless legs syndrome patients taking Horizant compared to those taking a placebo.

Source: Reuters