Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (VNDA)

[surf1944]

7:03AM Vanda Pharma: Tasimelteon has been shown for the first time to restore daily cortisol rhythms in totally blind patients suffering from Non-24-Hour Disorder (VNDA) 4.00 : Co's tasimelteon has been shown for the first time to restore daily cortisol rhythms in totally blind patients suffering from Non-24-Hour Disorder (Non-24). Tasimelteon was previously reported to entrain the 24-hour rhythm of melatonin secretion in patients with Non-24. Cortisol is a key regulatory hormone which exhibits a circadian rhythm, rising in the early morning and falling in the evening. The circadian regulation of the cortisol rhythm is necessary for the human body to be prepared for a wide range of daily activities and physiologic functions, including blood pressure variation, utilization of fatty acids, circulating lymphocytes and immunity. A growing body of data suggests that tasimelteon's entraining effects are accomplished through a direct resetting of the master body clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Tasimelteon is a circadian regulator in development for the treatment of Non-24 in totally blind individuals.