FDA approves Eli Lilly’s obesity drug for obstructive sleep apnea

The FDA has expanded the approval of Eli Lilly’s obesity drug Zepbound to include the treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in people with obesity — the first drug approved for the condition.

The new, expanded Zepbound approval means that insurance providers, including Medicare, will likely cover the drug for people with sleep apnea and obesity. Some insurance providers, including Medicare, do not offer reimbursement for treatment of obesity alone.

The new approval is for people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea who are also living with obesity. Eli Lilly estimates it’s about 15-20 million adults in the US

Obstructive sleep apnea is not just an inconvenience, it is a serious medical condition that impairs breathing and sleep quality. Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea are linked. People tend to see their obstructive sleep apnea improve when they lose a significant amount of weight. It is likely that the weight loss associated with the medication will help improve the sleep apnea.

Right now, there is no medicine to treat obstructive sleep apnea – it is only treated with a positive airway pressure device.

In one study, people taking Zepbound had at least 25 fewer breathing interruptions per hour while they slept. They also lost an average of 20% of their body weight.

The study also followed people over a year and found that up to half of the adults who took Zepbound no longer had obstructive sleep apnea symptoms by the end of the year.

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in men than in women. Up to 34% of American men have OSA compared to 17% of American women, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Common signs of sleep apnea include heavy snoring at night, long pauses in breathing while sleeping, as well as excessive daytime sleepiness, forgetfulness, and morning headaches. The symptoms of the disorder can lead to significant medical problems.