Teva Handok’s once-daily narcolepsy therapy Nuvigil (ingredient: armodafinil) got reimbursement from the Ministry of Health and Welfare starting this month.

Coverage will benefit patients confirmed with narcolepsy, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the International Classification of Disease: G47.4.

Children and adolescents under 18 years of age may also benefit from coverage if a physician deems it necessary.

Narcolepsy is a disease of the nervous system characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, hallucinations experienced when sleeping or waking, sleeping paralysis, and sleeping seizures.

The rare, intractable disease is estimated to affect around 0.002 to 0.18 percent of Koreans.

With the reimbursement, a 150 mg and 250 mg pill of Nuvigil will cost 2,036 won ($1.8), and 2,980 won, respectively. Narcolepsy patients will pay about 10 percent of treatment costs due to healthcare policy that classifies narcolepsy as a rare and intractable disease.

Nuvigil is indicated to treat excessive sleepiness related to narcolepsy. The company noted that the drug has a longer duration of efficacy and more convenient dosing.

"Nuvigil has already been available in the US, Australia and elsewhere and is used for narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorders,” said Teva Handok Brand Manager Kwon Ki-won. “The reimbursement of Nuvigil offers expanded treatment choice for Korean patients with narcolepsy who faced limited options for treatment.”

Teva Handok said that it plans to launch the reimbursed therapy in September.