A satellite symposium held at PBMI 2026.
To attend PBMI in person, register here
Program Description
Narcolepsy type 1 is a rare neurological disorder caused by the loss of orexin-producing neurons. It often presents with excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy the results in severe quality of life impairment. Managed care professionals face major gaps in the management of narcolepsy stemming from polypharmacy. Traditional sodium-based oxybate formulations often require semi-annual metabolic monitoring and the initiation of secondary antihypertensive treatments, significantly driving up direct medical costs, health care utilization, and workplace presenteeism. In recent years, the treatment landscape has shifted away from symptom-based management towards targeted, disease-modifying therapies. This session will equip pharmacists and managed care professionals to optimize patient outcomes and value-based care by reviewing current American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidelines alongside established therapies such as GABA-B receptor stimulants, H3 receptor antagonists, and selective DNRI therapies. Clinical data for emerging and investigational agents will also be presented. Managed care professionals will gain greater insight into how these data will inform strategic formulary design, with examples highlighting the use of proactive utilization management and precise prior authorization criteria to alleviate the multi-layered economic and clinical burden of narcolepsy type 1.
Target audience: Managed Care Professional
Type of activity: Application
Release date: September
10, 2026
Expiration date: November 10, 2026
Time to complete activity: 1 hour
Learner
level: Foundational, Intermediate
Fee: Free
Educational Objectives
At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Explain the clinical burden and underlying pathophysiology of narcolepsy type 1, including the role of the hypocretin (orexin) system in regulating wakefulness and REM sleep
- Identify challenges that contribute to delayed or inaccurate diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1
- Compare the efficacy and safety evidence for approved and emerging therapies used in the management of narcolepsy type 1
- Apply managed care strategies to support appropriate patient access to emerging therapies for narcolepsy type 1 while helping to reduce the associated economic burden
