Modafinil - the time-shifting drug

During the simulator tests, modafinil "significantly" reduced the effects of fatigue during flight manoeuvres, researchers said.

Under the influence of modafinil, flight performance degraded by 15 to 30 percent. Performance by pilots without the medication degraded by 60 to 100 percent compared to fully rested performance levels.

The results of the testing were heavily conclusive - modafinil was effective for reducing the impact of fatigue.

International biopharmaceutical company Cephalon owns the worldwide rights to Modafinil.

Modafinil is available in more than 20 countries and is marketed under the brand name PROVIGIL in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Belgium and Luxembourg. Modafinil is available in other countries under the brand names, ALERTEC, MODIODAL, MODASOMIL, MODAVIGIL and VIGIL.

Modafinil is listed as a Schedule IV drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule IV drugs as a class have a lower abuse potential than drugs listed in Schedule II or III. Other examples of Schedule IV drugs include Ambien, Xanax and Ativan. Examples of Schedule II drugs include Actiq, morphine, methadone and methylphenidate (Ritalin). Examples of Schedule III drugs include anabolic steroids, codeine and hydrocodone with aspirin or Tylenol, and some barbiturates.

Cephalon recently announced that it has filed an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting marketing approval of a new proprietary form of modafinil for the treatment of attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents between the ages of six and 17.