FIRST OF ITS KIND

FDA Approves Weight-Loss Drug Zepbound for Sleep Apnea

It’s the first prescription drug to be approved to treat the condition.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the weight-loss drug Zepbound to treat obstructive sleep apnea, it announced Friday. Zepbound is the first drug for the condition to receive approval from the FDA. In a trial submitted to the government body in April, researchers compared those who took the drug with those who took a placebo, as well as those on Zepbound who also wore a positive airway pressure (PAP) device with those who used a PAP and were given a placebo. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects as many as 30 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. In a press release, Lilly said the drug should be used as part of a reduced-calorie diet with increased exercise. “Today, many cases of OSA go undiagnosed and untreated, leaving millions at risk for serious health consequences,” said Patrik Jonsson, Lilly’s executive vice president. “Zepbound is the first medication that significantly improves moderate-to-severe OSA and aids in long-term weight loss in adults with obesity. Nearly half of clinical trial patients saw such improvements that they no longer had symptoms associated with OSA, marking a critical step forward in reducing the burden of this disease and its interconnected health challenges.” The FDA approved Zepbound as an obesity treatment last November.