The downside, at least to some, is Sonata's brevity. Because the drug has a relatively short "half-life" (the time it takes for the substance to pass out of your body), it's effective in getting you to sleep - but not in keeping you there. Studies show that users get about four hours of sometimes fitful sleep using Sonata. The slower-to-work Ambien knocks you out for up to eight hours once it takes effect, but leaves you feeling groggy and hungover in the morning. The stakes for both companies are high: Ambien last year had U.S. sales of more than $450 million, and some analysts say Sonata could be worth more - numbers high enough for many execs to lose sleep over.
No Sleep? This Potion May Be Your Lullaby
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Ah, to sleep, perchance to dream... that is, if you've planned ahead and taken your sleeping pills hours before you want to nod off. For insomnia suffers, the problem with most prescription sleeping aids is that they take a long time to work and a long time to wear off. That's changed with FDA approval of Sonata, a new prescription sleeping pill. People who used Sonata in clinical trials were usually snoozing within 30 minutes of taking the drug, and reported little grogginess upon waking. Drug maker American Home Products sees Sonata as a direct competitor to the current leading treatment for insomnia, Monsanto's Ambien.