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SmokingPhase 4NCT07328594

Impact of Daridorexant on Sleep, Daytime Alertness, and Smoking

A Phase 4 study testing Daridorexant 50 mg in people with Smoking and Nicotine, run by Legacy Health System at 1 site in United States.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., with 480,000 deaths per year and 7.7 million deaths globally. A major clinical symptom associated with abstinence from both licit and illicit drugs is insomnia, which is a clinically verified, major risk factor for relapse. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 55 years
Conditions the study is for
Smoking, Nicotine, Tobacco
What is being tested?
Daridorexant 50 mg
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
44 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
10 Feb 2026to 30 Sep 2027
Phase
Phase 4
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 55 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Adult participants who are cigarette smokers, 18-55 years of age.
  • Smokers: greater than 10 cigarettes/day.
  • Smoking for 1 year or longer.
  • Willingness to try to reduce or stay abstinent from cigarettes, smoking cessation aides (including nicotine gum or patches), smokeless tobacco, or electronic cigarettes for 3 weeks during the study.
  • Willingness to monitor sleep at home with an external device and maintain a simple sleep and smoking diary for 3 weeks.
  • Willingness to take a 5-min, mobile-based test 3X/day for 3 days/week during the 3 weeks.
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  • Ability to travel to three Study Visits.
  • Are willing to abstain from consuming grapefruit products during the study.
  • Have an iPhone, best with iOS 17 or newer.

Who cannot join

  • Are currently taking any pharmaceutical drugs for smoking cessation, including: Nicotine patch or nicotine gum, buproprion (Wellbutrin, Zyban), varenicline (Chantix, Champix), other behavioral interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy for smoking.
  • Are currently using cannabis or alcohol for sleep. Are currently taking any pharmaceutical drugs for insomnia, such as eszopiclone (Lunesta), zaleplon (Sonata) or zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, and Zolpimist) benzodiazepines, or opioids.
  • Are currently taking stimulants commonly used for ADHD, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin Concerta, Daytrana) or amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvanse).
  • Are currently taking anti-seizure drugs, including lamotrigine, pregabalin (Lyrica), or gabapentin (Neurontin, Horizant, or Gralise).
  • Have non-nicotine substance dependence (diagnosed with substance use disorder, including alcohol or cannabis use disorder (current cannabis use is acceptable, and past illicit drug use is acceptable if greater than 2 months prior to testing and does not meet current criteria for substance use disorders (SUDs) according to DSM-5).
  • Have a major neurological disorder such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, or any other serious neurological disorder.
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  • Have a history of serious psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or suicidality.
  • Had a stroke or head injury which caused loss of consciousness for longer than three minutes in the past 1 year.
  • Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Have been diagnosed with sleep apnea or other diagnosed sleep disorders such as narcolepsy.
  • Have been diagnosed with thyroid problems.
  • Have been diagnosed with COPD.
  • Have been doing variable shift work in the past 1 month or traveled more than 1 time zone in past month.
  • Are currently taking the following medications, supplements, or food: Daridorexant can interact with strong inhibitors of CYP3A4, which should be discussed with The Study Doctor's office (some of these include clarithromycin, diltiazem, erythromycin, itraconzale, ketoconazole, ritonavir, and verapamil).
  • Have a BMI of 33 or higher.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Barbara A. Sorg, PhD contact

503-413-1934

bsorg@downeurobiology.org

United States1 site
  • Legacy Research Institute

    Portland, Oregon, 97232

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Impact of Daridorexant on Sleep, Daytime Alertness, and Smoking During Abstinence

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., with 480,000 deaths per year and 7.7 million deaths globally. A major clinical symptom associated with abstinence from both licit and illicit drugs is insomnia, which is a clinically verified, major risk factor for relapse. Roughly half of the 40 million smokers in the U.S. attempt to quit annually, with very low rates of success. One major hurdle is poor sleep quality during abstinence. Compounding the problem is that some pharmaceuticals to help reduce smoking can increase insomnia. Poor sleep is recognized as a major impediment to maintaining abstinence from several drugs of abuse, including nicotine. Blockers of orexin have recently been proposed as a promising therapy for smoking cessation. Insomnia has been reported in up to 40% of smokers, and 80% report regular sleep disturbances, which can be amplified during abstinence. A new orexin blocker, daridorexant, was FDA approved within the past two years for the treatment of insomnia, and while it has been tested in healthy individuals with insomnia, it has not been tested in smokers, who suffer from insomnia, particularly during the withdrawal phase when trying to quit. Daridorexant has an improved profile of beneficial effects for those with insomnia, the most notable advantage being its shorter duration of action that promotes daytime alertness, which is problematic for both active smokers and smokers during withdrawal. Poor sleep leads to daytime sleepiness, which often leads to smoking to maintain alertness.

Read the detailed description

The investigators will use a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled design to determine how daridorexant given over 3 weeks of smoking abstinence will alter sleep, daytime alertness, and smoking behavior and craving for cigarettes. Sleep will be monitored using a sleep-tracking device, a sleep diary, and daytime alertness will be monitored using a performance metric (psychomotor vigilance task) three times per week for the 3 week study. Participants will also complete several other questionnaires related to smoking behaviors, craving, withdrawal, daytime sleepiness, and mood.

Being tested
Daridorexant 50 mg, Placebo
Keywords
Insomnia, Daridorexant, Smoking, Nicotine, Tobacco, Sleep, Addiction, Substance use disorders
Medical subject headings
Smoking, Behavior, Addictive, Substance-Related Disorders, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Daridorexant 50 mgDrug

    Active daridorexant vs placebo comparator in smokers with insomnia

  • PlaceboOther

    Placebo in Smokers

Study groups in NCT07328594
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
TreatmentActive comparatorNot described
Receives: Drug: Daridorexant 50 mg
No treatmentPlacebo comparatorNot described
Receives: Other: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Sleep Quality

    Sleep device to assess: latency to sleep, number of awakenings during the night, and sleep stages.

    Measured: 2 days + 3 weeks study: 2 days to assess sleep prior to taking daridorexant followed by 3 weeks of daily daridorexant administration.

  2. Daytime alertness

    Assess daytime alertness using a 5 min psychomotor vigilance task. Higher score indicates lower alertness.

    Measured: Assessed 3 times per day (morning, midday, evening), 3 times per week for 3 weeks.

  3. Insomnia Severity Index

    Assesses extent of insomnia. Range is 0-28. Higher score indicates high level of insomnia.

    Measured: Assess at prescreening and on last day of the study (3 weeks and 2 days)

  4. Sleep Quality-sleep diary

    Daily sleep diary to assess self-reported sleep

    Measured: Assessed 2 days prior to taking daridorexant and daily for 3 weeks during daily daridorexant administration.

  5. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

    Assesses sleep quality (duration, disturbance, latency) over last 1 month. Range is 0-21; higher score indicates worse sleep quality.

    Measured: 2 days before beginning study medication.

  6. PROMIS Sleep-Short Form 8a

    Assesses sleep quality over last 7 days. Range is 8-40, higher score indicates worse sleep/low alertness.

    Measured: 2 days before beginning study medication and last day of weeks 1, 2, 3.

  7. Karolinska Sleepiness Scale

    Assesses daytime alertness - single question. Range is 1-10. Higher score indicates lower alertness.

    Measured: Given 3X/day on days 3, 5, 7 of weeks 1, 2, 3.

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Fagerstrom

    Assesses extent of nicotine dependence. Range is 0-10. Higher score indicates higher dependence.

    Measured: Measure at pre-screening and at the end of each week for 3 weeks.

  2. Smoking History and Habits

    Must smoke 10 or more cigarettes per day.

    Measured: Measure at pre-screening.

  3. Minnesota Scale Withdrawal from Nicotine

    Assesses nicotine withdrawal symptoms over last 24 hr. Range is 0-60, higher score indicating higher withdrawal signs/symptoms.

    Measured: 2 days before beginning study medication, end of day on days 3, 5, 7 of weeks 1, 2, and 3.

  4. QSU Brief Smoking Desire

    Assesses desire to smoke. Range 7-49. Higher score indicates higher craving to smoke.

    Measured: End of day on days 3, 5, 7 of weeks 1, 2, and 3.

  5. Number of cigarettes/vape products smoked

    Daily Sleep Diary includes number of cigarettes/vape products smoked.

    Measured: Reported daily for entire study (2 days + 3 weeks).

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted9 Jan 2026
  2. Study start10 Feb 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion31 Mar 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion30 Sep 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
44 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07328594
Sponsor's protocol ID
2233
Other IDs
750140603
Status last verified
Jan 2026
First submitted
30 Dec 2025
Last updated
9 Jan 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Mauries S, Rolland B, Mallevays M, Catoire S, Zehani F, Sauvage K, Davido G, Lejoyeux M, Geoffroy PA. Conditions of sleep restoration after smoking cessation: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 2025 Apr;80:102041. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2024.102041. Epub 2024 Dec 9.

    PubMed 39893864
  • Fietze I, Bassetti CLA, Mayleben DW, Pain S, Seboek Kinter D, McCall WV. Efficacy and Safety of Daridorexant in Older and Younger Adults with Insomnia Disorder: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial. Drugs Aging. 2022 Oct;39(10):795-810. doi: 10.1007/s40266-022-00977-4. Epub 2022 Sep 13.

    PubMed 36098936
  • Fragale JE, James MH, Avila JA, Spaeth AM, Aurora RN, Langleben D, Aston-Jones G. The Insomnia-Addiction Positive Feedback Loop: Role of the Orexin System. Front Neurol Neurosci. 2021;45:117-127. doi: 10.1159/000514965. Epub 2021 May 28.

    PubMed 34052815
  • Hamidovic A. Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonists (DORAs) as an Adjunct Treatment for Smoking Cessation. CNS Drugs. 2022 May;36(5):411-417. doi: 10.1007/s40263-022-00918-0. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

    PubMed 35451800
  • Mignot E, Mayleben D, Fietze I, Leger D, Zammit G, Bassetti CLA, Pain S, Kinter DS, Roth T; investigators. Safety and efficacy of daridorexant in patients with insomnia disorder: results from two multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials. Lancet Neurol. 2022 Feb;21(2):125-139. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00436-1.

    PubMed 35065036

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Daridorexant 50 mg in people with Smoking and Nicotine, run by Legacy Health System at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 15 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Barbara A. Sorg, PhD (503-413-1934, bsorg@downeurobiology.org), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Sleep Quality (time frame: 2 days + 3 weeks study: 2 days to assess sleep prior to taking daridorexant followed by 3 weeks of daily daridorexant administration.). The study lists 7 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07328594, which also lists 5 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Jan 2026.

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Clinical Trial NCT07328594 | AzTrials