Eli Lilly's weight-loss drug Zepbound could treat sleep apnea
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Eli Lilly said Wednesday that its weight-loss drug Zepbound improved symptoms in two late-stage trials of patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Why it matters: If treating sleep apnea ultimately earns an FDA green light, it could expand insurance coverage for the drug and reshape treatment for a dangerous sleep condition affecting more than 20 million Americans.
- Lilly shares jumped more than 2.5% on the announcement, before settling to close up 0.5%. Shares of ResMed, a maker of CPAP machines used in existing positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, closed down 6%.
Between the lines: Obstructive sleep apnea is closely associated with obesity, as fat deposits in a person's tongue and upper airway can restrict airflow to the lungs during sleep.
- Loud snoring is the most obvious symptom, but people suffering from OSA will repeatedly stop and start breathing during sleep. Those diagnosed with severe cases can experience more than 30 such breathing events per hour.
What they found: Eli Lilly today said that a group of patients in the trial taking tirzepatide — the drug Lilly brands as Zepbound — suffered 27 fewer breathing events per hour than the baseline.
- A second group of patients that combined Zepbound with existing PAP therapy suffered 30 fewer events per hour.
The big picture: Adding OSA to the list of things Zepbound can treat would likely increase insurance coverage for the drug.
- States and corporate health plans have been tightening access to drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound, the popular class of weight-loss and diabetes drugs known as GLP-1s, as a surge in usage has led to soaring costs for plan providers, Axios' Tina Reed has noted.
- Lilly said it plans to submit data to the FDA and global regulators beginning mid-year in hopes of gaining approval for OSA treatment.
