Short answer: Daridorexant (Quviviq) is a prescription insomnia medicine that blocks orexin, a brain chemical that keeps people awake. It is a Schedule IV controlled substance approved in 2022. It helps people fall and stay asleep, with lower dependence risk than benzodiazepines.
Key takeaways
- What it is: Daridorexant is a dual orexin receptor antagonist and a Schedule IV controlled substance in the US.
- Main uses: Insomnia.
- Timing: effects start in about 30 minutes and last 7 hours or more.
- Most dangerous mix: Alcohol, which can cause more impairment of balance and alertness.
- Naloxone: it does not reverse this drug, but give it whenever opioids could be involved.
- Dependence risk: Low.
- Legal route: only with a prescription from a DEA-registered clinician, filled by a licensed pharmacy.
What is daridorexant?
Daridorexant treats insomnia with trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. In trials it improved sleep and daytime functioning at the 50 mg dose.
Orexin blockers do not act on GABA receptors like benzodiazepines and Z-drugs, so they cause less dependence, though they are still controlled because of sedative effects.
Quick facts
| Fact | Daridorexant |
|---|---|
| Generic name | Daridorexant |
| Brand names | Quviviq |
| Drug class | Dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) |
| US legal status | Schedule IV, prescription only |
| Approved uses | Adults with insomnia (trouble falling or staying asleep) |
| Forms | Tablets (25, 50 mg) |
| Onset | About 30 minutes |
| Half-life | About 8 hours |
| Similar drugs | Suvorexant (Belsomra), lemborexant (Dayvigo) |
How long does daridorexant last?
- Starts working: About 30 minutes
- Effects last: 7 hours or more
- Half-life: About 8 hours
About 30 minutes; taking it with a heavy meal can delay its effect.
Timing varies with the dose, the form, how it is taken, liver and kidney function, age, and other drugs taken at the same time.
What are the biggest risks of daridorexant?
Common side effects include headache and sleepiness or tiredness.
Next-day impairment: driving and alertness can be impaired, especially if taken with less than a full night of sleep.
Sleep-related events: sleep paralysis, vivid hallucinations when falling asleep or waking, and, rarely, cataplexy-like weakness and complex sleep behaviors. It is contraindicated in narcolepsy.
What should you never mix with daridorexant?
| Combined with | What happens | Label guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | More impairment of balance and alertness | Avoid |
| Opioids, benzodiazepines, other sleep medicines | Additive sedation | Use caution |
| Ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir | Much higher levels | Avoid |
| Rifampin, carbamazepine, St. John's wort | Much lower levels | Avoid |
Check any combination with the DoseUses combination checker or ask a pharmacist.
What are the signs of a daridorexant overdose, and what should you do?
Overdose mainly causes excessive sleepiness and, possibly, sleep paralysis or hallucinations. Risk is higher with alcohol or other sedatives.
If someone may have overdosed
- Call 911 if the person is unresponsive, hard to wake, or breathing slowly.
- For advice when the person is awake and stable, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US, free, 24 hours).
- If opioids could be involved, including pills not from a pharmacy, give naloxone if you have it. Naloxone does not reverse daridorexant, but it will not harm the person.
- Stay with the person and place them on their side if they are drowsy or vomiting.
Does daridorexant cause withdrawal?
In clinical trials, stopping daridorexant did not cause withdrawal symptoms or rebound insomnia.
- First nightsPossible sleep changesSleep may return to how it was before treatment.
- Week 1No withdrawal expectedTrials found no withdrawal syndrome.
- Longer termReassessCombine with CBT-I for lasting benefit.
See the withdrawal timelines and the full daridorexant withdrawal guide.
Is daridorexant legal?
In the United States, daridorexant is a Schedule IV controlled substance. The only legal way to get it is with a prescription from a clinician registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), filled by a licensed pharmacy. Depending on state law, that can be a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.
- Refills: a Schedule IV prescription can be refilled up to five times within six months of the date it was written. After that, a new prescription is needed.
- Telehealth: federal flexibilities let DEA-registered clinicians prescribe Schedule II to V medicines after a telemedicine visit, without a prior in-person exam, through December 31, 2026. A permanent DEA rule was under final review in late 2026. State rules can be stricter.
- Monitoring: prescribers and pharmacists in most states check a prescription drug monitoring program, a database of controlled-substance prescriptions, before prescribing or dispensing.
Outside the United States
| Country | Status |
|---|---|
| European Union | Approved in 2022; prescription only |
| International | Not under UN control |
Frequently asked questions about daridorexant
How is Quviviq different from Ambien?
It blocks orexin, the wakefulness signal, rather than enhancing GABA, and has lower dependence risk.
Is daridorexant addictive?
It is Schedule IV because high doses can cause pleasant effects in some people, but dependence risk is low.
How long does daridorexant take to work?
About 30 minutes; taking it with a heavy meal can delay its effect.
Can you drive the next morning?
Wait until fully alert; next-day impairment is possible, especially after less than 7 hours of sleep.
Who should not take Quviviq?
People with narcolepsy, and people taking strong CYP3A4 inhibitors.
Sources
- Quviviq (daridorexant) prescription information, DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine.
- Controlled Substance Schedules, DEA Diversion Control Division.
- 21 CFR 1306.22, Refilling of prescriptions (Schedules III and IV), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
- Prescribing controlled substances via telehealth, US Department of Health and Human Services.
- BeSafeRx: Your Source for Online Pharmacy Information, US Food and Drug Administration.
- Safe Pharmacy, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
- One Pill Can Kill, US Drug Enforcement Administration.
- International drug control conventions, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
This guide summarizes the sourced DoseUses Daridorexant profile, written from FDA labels, DEA rules, and federal health agencies. It is educational and is not medical advice. Last updated October 5, 2026.
