Silenor now available by prescription

SAN DIEGO Drug maker Somaxon Pharmaceuticals has made its treatment for insomnia available by prescription, the company said Tuesday.

Somaxon announced the availability of Silenor (doxepin), which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in March as a treatment for insomnia characterized by difficulty with sleep maintenance.

“The commercial availability of Silenor, the first and only prescription product approved for the treatment of sleep maintenance insomnia that is not a controlled substance, is an important milestone for Somaxon and marks the completion of our product launch preparations,” Somaxon president and CEO Richard Pascoe said.

The company will promote the drug to healthcare providers along with Procter & Gamble.