Building a Greater Knowledge Profile of Sodium Oxybate Treatment for Narcolepsy: Phil Jochelson, MD

WATCH TIME: 3 minutes

"Educating people around the combination of sodium load and cardiovascular risk is really important and has resonated well with clinicians."

At the 2024 SLEEP Annual Meeting, held June 1-5, in Houston, Texas, a poster highlighted a new trial, dubbed XYLO, that assessed the effects of switching from high-sodium to low-sodium oxybate on blood pressure in patients with narcolepsy. It specifically addresses the cardiovascular risks associated with high sodium intake while maintaining treatment efficacy. This open-label, multicenter switch trial, evaluates changes in blood pressure, as well as changes in narcolepsy symptoms, safety, and tolerability of low-sodium formulation.

Low-sodium oxybate, previously known as JZP-258, was approved as a treatment for cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness in patients 7 years of age or older with narcolepsy in July 2020. In its supportive trial, treatment with the medication resulted in statistically significant differences (P <.0001) in the weekly number of cataplexy attacks and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores compared with placebo in a phase 3 double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized-withdrawal, multicenter study.

Years later, following the SLEEP Annual Meeting, Phil Jochelson, MD, therapeutic head for Clinical Development Neuroscience at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, sat down with NeurologyLive to discuss the knowledge gained in optimizing sodium oxybate treatment over the years. He spoke about the importance of educating patients on the cardiovascular risks involved with high-sodium oxybate and the advantages the newer lower-sodium product holds. In addition, Jochelson noted the benefits low-sodium oxybate may bring to patients with cardiovascular comorbidities.

REFERENCES
1. Jazz Pharmaceuticals announces US FDA approval of Xywav (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium oxybates) oral solution for cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy. News release. Jazz Pharmaceuticals. Published July 22, 2020. Accessed July 18, 2024. jazzpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/jazz-pharmaceuticals-announces-us-fda-approval-xywavtm-calcium