Lilly's weight-loss drug Zepbound wins US FDA approval for sleep apnea

(Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY )'s weight-loss treatment, Zepbound, for obstructive sleep apnea, making it the first drug greenlighted to directly treat patients with the common sleeping disorder.

The regulator approved the drug for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, the company said.

Sleep apnea patients stop breathing briefly while sleeping, disturbing the sleep cycle and causing long-term complications such as heart conditions. The condition affects roughly one billion people globally.

"Too often, obstructive sleep apnea is brushed off as 'just snoring' - but it's far more than that," said Julie Flygare, CEO of non-profit organization Project Sleep.

Common treatments for the condition include CPAP machines, which involve wearing a mask over the face while sleeping, surgery, as well as losing weight.

Zepbound and Lilly's widely used diabetes drug, Mounjaro, both chemically called tirzepatide, belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists.

Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, they also reduce food cravings and cause the stomach to empty more slowly.



U.S.-based Lilly and Danish rival Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO ) are testing their blockbuster obesity drugs for a range of conditions as they race to show that they have other health benefits.

Regulators can expand approval for medicines if new data shows them to be effective in other therapeutic areas.

Source: Investing.com