Medically reviewed by Dr. Sofia Lindqvist, · Last reviewed 11 August 2026
Generic brands
Generic names explained: Modalert, Modvigil, Waklert and Artvigil
Educational information, not medical advice. Modafinil and armodafinil are prescription only medications and Schedule IV controlled substances in the United States. This page explains what these product names refer to. It does not assess suppliers, and this site has no commercial relationship with any manufacturer or seller.
Six product names circulate widely. They contain two molecules between them.
6
product names in common circulation
2
molecules those names contain
2012
generic modafinil enters the US market
0
controlled trials comparing these brands
Why one drug has so many names
A single medication typically carries three kinds of name.
The generic name identifies the molecule itself. Modafinil is a generic name. So is armodafinil. These are internationally standardised and do not change between countries.
The brand name identifies a particular company’s product. Provigil is Cephalon’s brand of modafinil. Nuvigil is the armodafinil equivalent. When a drug’s patent protection lapses, other manufacturers may produce the same molecule and give it their own brand name.
The market name is the brand under which a given manufacturer sells in a given country. The same company may use different names in different markets, and different companies producing the same molecule will each have their own.
Molecule
Modafinil
Generic name
Modafinil, worldwide
Originator brand
Provigil
Market names
Modalert, Modvigil, others
The naming layers, from the molecule outward. Only the first layer describes pharmacology.
The naming layers, from the molecule outward. Only the first layer describes pharmacology.
Modafinil went off patent, and generic versions entered the US market in 2012. Manufacturers in several countries now produce it. Each gave their product a name. That is the entire explanation for why the same drug appears under half a dozen labels.
What these names refer to
| Product name | Molecule | Commonly attributed manufacturer | Typical strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provigil | Modafinil | Cephalon (now Teva) | 100mg, 200mg |
| Modalert | Modafinil | Sun Pharmaceutical Verify |
100mg, 200mg |
| Modvigil | Modafinil | HAB Pharmaceuticals Verify |
100mg, 200mg |
| Nuvigil | Armodafinil | Cephalon (now Teva) | 50mg, 150mg, 250mg |
| Waklert | Armodafinil | Sun Pharmaceutical Verify |
150mg |
| Artvigil | Armodafinil | HAB Pharmaceuticals Verify |
150mg |
Manufacturer attributions marked for verification against company registries before publication.
The important pattern in that table is the second column. Modalert and Modvigil are modafinil. Waklert and Artvigil are armodafinil. There are two molecules here, not six drugs.
Molecule
Modafinil
Racemic mixture of the R and S enantiomers.
Provigil
100 / 200mg
Modalert
100 / 200mg
Modvigil
100 / 200mg
Molecule
Armodafinil
The isolated R enantiomer, dosed lower.
Nuvigil
50 / 150 / 250mg
Waklert
150mg
Artvigil
150mg
Product names sorted by the molecule they contain.
Same molecule, same pharmacology
Everything on this site about modafinil applies to any product containing modafinil. Everything about armodafinil applies to any product containing armodafinil.
That includes the mechanism of action, the approximately fifteen hour half life for modafinil, the CYP3A4 induction and the resulting interaction with hormonal contraceptives, the risk of serious dermatological reactions including Stevens Johnson syndrome, the pregnancy contraindications adopted by regulators in the EU, UK, Canada, and Australia, and the psychiatric and cardiovascular cautions.
peak
peak
zero
0h
4h
8h
12h
16h
20h
24h
Modafinil 200mg
Same dose, different brand
Relative plasma concentration after a single dose. The curve is a property of the molecule and the dose, not of the label on the box.
A different brand name does not produce a different safety profile. Where accounts describe one product as feeling “cleaner” or “stronger” than another, there is no pharmacological basis for a difference between products containing the same quantity of the same molecule, and no controlled evidence supporting such comparisons.
Relevant links: modafinil safety · interactions · pregnancy · dosage
What can legitimately differ between manufacturers
Three things vary between products containing the same active ingredient.
Identical between products
- The active molecule
- Mechanism of action
- Half life and duration
- Interaction profile
- Serious reaction warnings
- Legal and scheduling status
Identical between products
- Excipients and coatings
- Tablet size, shape and scoring
- Manufacturing oversight
- Bioequivalence standard applied
- Packaging and stated strengths
The line between what is fixed by the molecule and what is set by the manufacturer.
Excipients. The inactive ingredients: binders, fillers, coatings, and disintegrants. These can affect how quickly a tablet dissolves and can matter for people with specific allergies or intolerances. They do not change the active molecule.
Manufacturing and regulatory oversight. Different jurisdictions apply different standards to manufacturing quality and bioequivalence demonstration. A product approved by a stringent regulatory authority has satisfied that authority’s requirements. A product manufactured for a different market has satisfied whatever requirements apply there. These are not always equivalent.
Bioequivalence standards. Generic approval generally requires demonstrating that a product delivers the active ingredient at a rate and extent comparable to the reference product, within defined limits. The specific limits and the evidence required vary by regulator.
Reference product
100%
The comparator
Lower acceptance limit
80%
Typical stringent standard
Upper acceptance limit
125%
Typical stringent standard
Illustrative only. A generic is judged against the reference product on the rate and extent of absorption, within limits set by the approving regulator.
Illustrative only. A generic is judged against the reference product on the rate and extent of absorption, within limits set by the approving regulator.
This site does not rank manufacturers against one another. Doing so would require regulatory inspection data or published quality testing, and absent a citable source, any such ranking would be assertion rather than information.
Prescription status
All of these products contain the same prescription only molecules.
A product manufactured for a market where regulatory oversight differs is still modafinil or armodafinil. In the United States it remains a Schedule IV controlled substance regardless of which manufacturer produced it or where. The same applies in every jurisdiction where the drug is scheduled or restricted.
The reason these drugs require a prescription is not administrative. The safety profile requires screening that only a clinician can perform: cardiac history, psychiatric history, liver function, pregnancy status and contraceptive use, and a complete list of current medications. The interaction with hormonal contraceptives alone requires counselling that cannot happen outside a clinical relationship, particularly given the pregnancy contraindications.
Cardiac history
Arrhythmia, hypertension
Psychiatric history
Psychosis, mania, anxiety
Contraception
CYP3A4 induction
Current medicines
Interaction review
Relative plasma concentration after a single dose. The curve is a property of the molecule and the dose, not of the label on the box.
Individual product pages
Modalert
A product name for modafinil, commonly attributed to Sun Pharmaceutical, in 100mg and 200mg.
Modvigil
Another modafinil product name, commonly attributed to HAB Pharmaceuticals, in 100mg and 200mg.
Waklert
An armodafinil product name, commonly attributed to Sun Pharmaceutical, in 150mg.
Artvigil
Armodafinil under a different label, commonly attributed to HAB Pharmaceuticals, in 150mg.
Frequently asked questions
Is Modalert the same as modafinil?
Yes. Modalert is a product name for modafinil. The molecule is identical to that in Provigil or any other modafinil product.
What is the difference between Modalert and Modvigil?
Both contain modafinil. They are produced by different manufacturers and differ in excipients and in the regulatory framework under which they were manufactured. The active molecule is the same.
What is the difference between Waklert and Artvigil?
Both contain armodafinil, and the same answer applies.
Is Modalert stronger than Modvigil?
At the same stated dose, both deliver the same quantity of the same molecule. There is no controlled evidence of a difference in effect between products containing equivalent doses of modafinil.
Do these require a prescription?
Yes. All contain prescription only molecules, and in the United States all are Schedule IV controlled substances regardless of manufacturer or country of origin.
Are generic versions as effective as the brand?
Generic approval in stringent regulatory jurisdictions requires demonstrating bioequivalence to the reference product within defined limits. Where a product has been approved on that basis, it has met that standard. Where it has been manufactured for a market applying different standards, it has met those instead.
Why are there so many names?
Modafinil went off patent, and multiple manufacturers now produce it. Each gives its product a name, and companies often use different names in different markets. The proliferation reflects commercial branding rather than pharmacological difference.
What is the difference between Modalert and Waklert?
This is the more meaningful question, because these are different molecules. Modalert is modafinil. Waklert is armodafinil, the isolated R enantiomer. Armodafinil is dosed at 150mg against modafinil’s 200mg, and maintains higher plasma concentrations later in the dosing interval.
References
- 1. FDA prescribing information, Provigil (modafinil) and Nuvigil (armodafinil).
- 2. Modafinil, StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf.
- 3. Manufacturer product registries [to be cited on verification].