Dayvigo insomnia medication to launch in Brazil

A new insomnia medication, Dayvigo (lemborexant), is expected to arrive in Brazil later this year. Developed by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai and distributed in Brazil through a partnership with Eurofarma, the drug is priced at approximately R$ 200.

Approved by Anvisa, Dayvigo represents a new class of drugs known as dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORA). Unlike traditional “Z-drugs” such as zolpidem, zopiclone, and eszopiclone—which work by increasing inhibitory neurotransmitter activity to induce sleep—lemborexant works by blocking orexin, a neurotransmitter responsible for maintaining wakefulness.

Because it does not act on the GABA neurotransmitter, the medication is reported to have a lower potential for dependency and facilitates a sleep transition closer to the body's natural processes. Dayvigo has already been approved for insomnia treatment in over 25 countries, including the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia.