People who suffer from sleep deprivation, rejoice.

A new drug known as CX717 looks like an answer to impaired on-the-job performance brought on by lack of shut-eye.

The drug, which acts on a type of brain receptor involved in cell-to-cell communication, has shown promise in tests, according to developer Cortex Pharmaceuticals.

Wake Forest University researchers first tested normal, alert monkeys on a matching task, then tested them again after they had been sleep-deprived for up to 36 hours, which would be equivalent to a human going without sleep for three days.

Without sleep, the monkeys' overall performance was reduced under all test conditions, even on the easiest trials.

But after a dose of CX717, their performance was restored to normal levels. Because it acts differently from caffeine and other stimulants, it appears to lack side effects such as hyperactivity, distorted thinking or extended wakefulness.

The study's results appeared in the online journal Public Library of Science-Biology.