Eszopiclone, marketed by Sepracor

Sepracor

Sepracor, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company founded in 1984 by Tim Barberich. It was originally located in Princeton, New Jersey and then re-located to Marlborough, Massachusetts. On October 12, 2010, the company changed its name to Sunovion.-Company history:The company's initial focus was on the...

 under the brand-name Lunesta, is a nonbenzodiazepine

Nonbenzodiazepine

The nonbenzodiazepines, also called benzodiazepine-like drugs, are a class of psychoactive drugs pharmacologically resembling the benzodiazepines, with similar benefits, side effects and risks, despite having dissimilar or entirely different chemical structures.-Classes:There are currently three...

 hypnotic

Hypnotic

Hypnotic drugs are a class of psychoactives whose primary function is to induce sleep and to be used in the treatment of insomnia and in surgical anesthesia...

 used as a treatment for insomnia

Insomnia

Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...

. Eszopiclone is the active dextrorotatory stereoisomer of zopiclone

Zopiclone

Zopiclone is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic agent used in the treatment of insomnia. In the United States, zopiclone is not commercially available, although its active stereoisomer, eszopiclone, is sold under the name Lunesta...

, and belongs to the class of drugs known as cyclopyrrolones

Cyclopyrrolones

Cyclopyrrolones are a family of hypnotic and anxiolytic nonbenzodiazepine drugs with similar pharmacological profiles to the benzodiazepine derivatives....

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Eszopiclone is a short acting nonbenzodiazepine

Nonbenzodiazepine

The nonbenzodiazepines, also called benzodiazepine-like drugs, are a class of psychoactive drugs pharmacologically resembling the benzodiazepines, with similar benefits, side effects and risks, despite having dissimilar or entirely different chemical structures.-Classes:There are currently three...

 sedative hypnotic. According to its manufacturer, it has been shown to be safe and effective for the short term treatment of primary insomnia in the elderly and safe in younger adults for 6–12 months.