Claims for Patent: 9,539,234

Summary for Patent: 9,539,234

Title:	Treatment of circadian rhythm disorders
Abstract:	Embodiments of the invention relate to the use of a melatonin agonist in the treatment of free running circadian rhythms in patients, including light perception impaired patients, e.g., blind patients, and to methods of measuring circadian rhythm.
Inventor(s):	Dressman; Marlene Michelle (Germantown, MD), Feeney; John Joseph (Olney, MD), Licamele; Louis William (Potomac, MD), Polymeropoulos; Mihael H. (Potomac, MD)
Assignee:	Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Washington, DC)
Application Number:	14/688,301
Patent Litigation and PTAB cases:	See patent lawsuits and PTAB cases for patent 9,539,234
Patent Claims:	1. A method of treating a patient for a circadian rhythm disorder wherein the patient is being treated with a strong CYP1A2 inhibitor selected from a group consisting of fluvoxamine, ciprofloxacin, and verapamil, the method comprising: discontinuing the treatment with the strong CYP1A2 inhibitor; and then treating the patient with tasimelteion, thereby avoiding the use of tasimelteon in combination with the strong CYP1A2 inhibitor. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the CYP1A2 inhibitor is fluvoxamine. 3. The method of claim 1, that comprises treating the patient for Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder wherein the patient is light perception impaired (LPI). 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the tasimelteon is administered at 0.5 to 1.5 hours before the target sleep time. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the exposure to tasimelteon in a patient being treated with tasimelteon for a circadian rhythm disorder or for a sleep disorder is reduced by avoiding use of tasimelteon in combination with fluvoxamine.