Armodafinil 150 mg: Generic Name, Brand Names and Makers
Written by Dr. Marcus Bennett · · Fact-checked October 2026 · How we review
Searching for "armodafinil 150 mg generic name" usually means you've got a name on a prescription, a pharmacy label or a vendor listing and want to know if it's the same thing as another name you've seen. This guide sorts out the names. It covers the generic name, the original brand, US generics, the Indian export brands sold online, and how to read a label so you know what's in the pack. It isn't medical advice, and the right person to confirm what you've been prescribed is your pharmacist.
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The short answer
- Generic name: armodafinil.
- Original brand: Nuvigil, developed by Cephalon, which is now part of Teva. FDA-approved in 2007.
- US generics: labelled "armodafinil", made by several FDA-approved manufacturers and sold with a prescription.
- Indian export brands: Waklert (Sun Pharma), Artvigil (HAB Pharma), Armod (Emcure), plus vendor-listed products such as ArmodaXL and Armodavinil.
They all contain armodafinil. The differences are the manufacturer, the inactive ingredients and, most importantly, who has approved them.
Generic name vs brand name
Every medicine has one generic name, which describes the active drug, and can have many brand names, which belong to the companies that sell it. "Armodafinil" is the generic name everywhere. "Nuvigil" is a brand name. When you see "armodafinil 150 mg" on a US pharmacy label, it means a 150 mg tablet of the active drug, from whichever approved manufacturer your pharmacy stocks.
The US label gives the chemical name as 2-[(R)-(diphenylmethyl)sulfinyl]acetamide and the molecular weight as 273.35. The "(R)" is the key part. Modafinil is a 1:1 mix of two mirror-image forms, R and S, and armodafinil is the R-form on its own. That's where the "ar-" in the name comes from: it signals the single R-enantiomer.
Nuvigil, the original brand
Nuvigil was developed by Cephalon, the company behind Provigil (modafinil), and approved by the FDA in 2007. Teva later acquired Cephalon. The label approves it for excessive sleepiness from obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy and shift work disorder in adults. The 150 mg tablet is the standard strength. Nuvigil has also been made in 50 mg, 200 mg and 250 mg.
In the US, armodafinil is a Schedule IV controlled substance, like modafinil, so every version needs a prescription.
US generics
FDA-approved generic armodafinil became available in the US in 2016. These tablets are usually labelled simply "armodafinil" with the strength, plus the manufacturer's name on the bottle or pharmacy label. To be approved, a generic must contain the same active ingredient at the same strength and show bioequivalence to Nuvigil. Inactive ingredients, shape, colour and imprint can differ between manufacturers.
That's why your tablets may look different after a pharmacy refill. A change in appearance is often just a change of supplier. If you're unsure, ask the pharmacist to confirm the drug and strength. Most US pharmacies also print a short description of the tablet on the label.
Indian export brands
Online modafinil vendors mostly sell tablets made in India for export. These carry their own brand names. The ones you'll see most often for 150 mg armodafinil are:
- Waklert — made by Sun Pharma, one of India's largest drug makers, which also supplies regulated markets.
- Artvigil — made by HAB Pharma. HAB also makes a 250 mg version (see our Artvigil 250 mg review).
- Armod — made by Emcure.
- ArmodaXL — Afinil's house brand, which Afinil attributes to HOF Pharmaceuticals (see our ArmodaXL 150 mg review).
- Armodavinil — Afinil lists Centurion Laboratories as the maker (see our Armodavinil 150 mg review).
- "Generic armodafinil" / "generic Nuvigil" — plain-description listings. Afinil lists HAB Pharma as the maker of both.
Each of these contains armodafinil as the active ingredient, according to the manufacturer or vendor. None of them is FDA-approved, so none has shown bioequivalence to Nuvigil to the FDA. They're made under India's drug regulations. We haven't lab-tested any of them, and we can't confirm that one works identically to another.
If you want a direct head-to-head, our ArmodaXL vs Waklert comparison and Artvigil vs Waklert comparison go into detail.
Names that are NOT armodafinil
A few names get mixed up with armodafinil in searches:
- Provigil, Modalert, Modvigil, ModaXL: these are modafinil, not armodafinil. Modafinil contains both R and S forms, and its usual label dose is 200 mg rather than 150 mg.
- Sunosi: solriamfetol, a different drug approved for sleepiness in narcolepsy and sleep apnea.
- "Armodafinil nootropic" blends: supplements sold with names that sound similar may not contain armodafinil at all. Check the ingredient list.
Mixing these up matters, because the doses aren't interchangeable milligram for milligram.
Why one drug ends up with so many names
It can seem odd that a single active ingredient is sold under half a dozen names. There are a few ordinary reasons:
- Patents and brands: the company that develops a drug picks a brand name and sells it exclusively while its patents last. Once they expire, other makers can sell the same active ingredient, and many choose their own brand names to build recognition.
- Different markets: India's rules let local manufacturers sell branded generics, so Sun Pharma, HAB Pharma and Emcure each market armodafinil under a name of their own.
- Vendor house brands: some online vendors sell products under names they promote, like ArmodaXL, and name a contract manufacturer on the listing.
- Plain-description listings: "generic Nuvigil" or "generic armodafinil" is often a way of selling a maker's tablet without its brand name.
None of these names tells you the quality on its own. The useful facts are the active ingredient, the strength, who made it and which regulator, if any, approved it.
Names on prescriptions and pharmacy labels
In the US, prescribers can write either "armodafinil" or "Nuvigil". In many states, a pharmacist can fill a brand-name prescription with an approved generic unless the prescriber marks the brand as medically necessary. So a prescription that says Nuvigil can come back from the pharmacy labelled armodafinil. That's normal, and the strength should still read 150 mg.
If you're travelling, carry the medicine in its original pharmacy packaging, with the generic name visible, and a copy of the prescription. Border officers and foreign pharmacists recognise generic names far more reliably than brand names. Some countries restrict armodafinil and modafinil, so check the destination's rules before you go. For US delivery details, see our US domestic USPS shipping review.
When you speak to a pharmacist about any armodafinil product, use the generic name and the strength ("armodafinil 150 mg") rather than a brand. It avoids confusion with modafinil, which has different doses, and it's the name that drug-interaction checkers use.
How to read an armodafinil 150 mg label
Whether the pack comes from a US pharmacy or an export vendor, a properly made product should show:
- The active ingredient, armodafinil, spelled out (not only a brand name).
- The strength, 150 mg per tablet.
- The manufacturer's name and, for Indian products, usually a manufacturing licence number.
- A batch or lot number.
- Manufacture and expiry dates.
Missing details, smudged printing, misspellings or a strength that doesn't match the order are warning signs. Counterfeit medicines exist, especially outside regulated pharmacy channels. If anything looks wrong, don't take it.
Why the name matters for price
Prices for the same 150 mg dose vary a lot by name and channel. As examples:
- Brand Nuvigil is usually the most expensive option in US pharmacies, and stock varies.
- US generic armodafinil is typically far cheaper than the brand, depending on your insurance or discount card.
- Indian export brands sold online are cheaper again per tablet, but they aren't FDA-approved.
At Afinil on October 22, 2026, HAB Pharma's generic armodafinil 150 mg was listed from $29 for 10 tablets. Prices change, so check the listing before you buy. When you compare prices, compare the same thing: the price per 150 mg tablet at the pack size you'd actually buy, from a source you'd actually use. A cheap headline price on a 1,000-tablet pack isn't a fair comparison with a 30-day pharmacy fill, and a lower price can't make up for a product you can't legally use or verify.
Is the brand worth paying more for?
For US prescriptions, an FDA-approved generic has to meet the same active-ingredient, strength and bioequivalence standards as Nuvigil. On that standard, it's expected to work the same way. Some people report that one manufacturer's tablet feels different, which can come down to inactive ingredients, expectations, sleep and timing. If a switch seems to change how you feel, tell your prescriber or pharmacist, who may be able to keep you on one manufacturer.
Export brands are a different question. They haven't been through FDA review, so the "same as Nuvigil" standard doesn't formally apply to them.
Dosing and safety, briefly
The US label dose is 150 mg once a day in the morning for sleep apnea and narcolepsy (250 mg is also listed, with no consistent extra benefit shown in sleep apnea), and 150 mg about 1 hour before the shift for shift work disorder. Armodafinil isn't approved for anyone under 18. Stop and get medical help right away for a rash, blistering, mouth sores, swelling, chest pain or new mood changes. It can make hormonal birth control less effective during use and for a month after stopping. Please read our medical disclaimer.
Buying armodafinil 150 mg
In the US, armodafinil is a Schedule IV prescription medicine. The legal route is a prescription filled at a pharmacy, and our online doctor guide covers legal telehealth options. Afinil sells Indian export generics, including HAB Pharma's generic armodafinil 150 mg. These aren't FDA-approved, and buying them without a prescription isn't legal in the US and many other countries. Please read our legal notes first.
Verdict
The generic name for armodafinil 150 mg is simply armodafinil. Nuvigil is the original brand from Cephalon (now Teva), approved in the US in 2007, and FDA-approved US generics have been available since 2016. Online, the same active ingredient is sold under Indian brand names such as Waklert (Sun Pharma), Artvigil (HAB Pharma) and Armod (Emcure), plus vendor-listed names like ArmodaXL and Armodavinil. Those export brands aren't FDA-approved. Whatever name is on the pack, check that it says armodafinil and 150 mg, and shows a maker, batch number and expiry date.
FAQ
What is the generic name for armodafinil 150 mg?
Armodafinil is the generic name. The original brand is Nuvigil. In the US, FDA-approved generic tablets are simply labelled "armodafinil".
Is Nuvigil the same as armodafinil?
Nuvigil is the brand name for armodafinil. The active ingredient is the same. Generic versions sold in US pharmacies must meet FDA bioequivalence standards.
What brand names is armodafinil sold under in India?
Common ones include Waklert (Sun Pharma), Artvigil (HAB Pharma) and Armod (Emcure). Online vendors also sell house brands such as ArmodaXL.
Is Waklert a generic of Nuvigil?
Waklert contains armodafinil, the same active ingredient as Nuvigil, made by Sun Pharma in India. It isn't an FDA-approved generic, so it hasn't shown bioequivalence to the FDA.
What is the chemical name of armodafinil?
The US label gives it as 2-[(R)-(diphenylmethyl)sulfinyl]acetamide, with a molecular weight of 273.35. It's the R-form of modafinil.
Is armodafinil the same as modafinil?
No. Modafinil is a 50:50 mix of R and S forms. Armodafinil is the R-form alone, which lasts longer in the body. They have different label doses.
Is generic armodafinil FDA-approved?
Yes. Several manufacturers sell FDA-approved generic armodafinil tablets in the US, and pharmacies dispense them with a prescription.
Is "generic armodafinil" at Afinil the same as Artvigil?
Both come from HAB Pharma, according to Afinil. Artvigil is HAB's named brand, while "generic armodafinil" is sold under a plain description.