Can a Weight-Loss Drug Treat Sleep Apnea on Its Own?

The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company announced April 17 that the weight-loss drug helped to reduce the frequency of breathing disruptions in trial participants who had both obesity and OSA.

People with obstructive sleep apnea experience repeated episodes of shallow or halted breathing during sleep. Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source It is more common in men and people assigned male at birth, and research has shown that the chance of developing OSA increases significantly in people who are obese. The most common treatment method for OSA is a CPAP machine, Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source which delivers pressurized air through a hose and a mask to prevent the user’s airway from collapsing.

The Results

Eli Lilly conducted two concurrent yearlong studies. One involved adults with moderate to severe OSA and obesity. After taking tirzepatide for 52 weeks, the average study participant experienced a 55% reduction in sleep apnea events per hour compared with the start of the trial.

The second trial involved adults with moderate to severe OSA and obesity who used a CPAP machine for the duration of the trial in addition to taking tirzepatide. At the 52-week mark, these individuals averaged a 62.8% decrease in sleep apnea episodes per hour. Across both studies, about 70% of participants were men.

Sleep Apnea and Weight Loss

The tirzepatide trials also tracked the participants’ weight loss. Those who took tirzepatide and used a CPAP machine saw an average weight reduction of about 20%. Those who just took the medication lost approximately 18% of their body weight on average.

Studies have shown that losing weight can reduce the severity of OSA and associated side effects like daytime sleepiness. Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source Since the Eli Lilly clinical trials only involved obese participants who lost weight, at this time it is unclear to what degree the improvement in sleep apnea symptoms can be attributed to the drug itself as opposed to the act of losing weight.

The State of Sleep Apnea Drugs

There are currently no drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat OSA. Trusted Source U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. View Source However, drugs from several pharmaceutical companies have reached clinical trials for OSA treatment. One potential sleep apnea drug, developed by Incannex Healthcare, combines acetazolamide — a medication used to treat varied conditions like glaucoma, congestive heart failure, and epilepsy Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source — with a synthetic form of THC, a chemical found in the cannabis plant.

In 2023, the FDA approved Zepbound as a treatment for chronic weight management in adults who are overweight or obese and have at least one weight-related comorbidity. Trusted Source U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. View Source At that time, the federal agency had already approved tirzepatide, under the brand name Mounjaro, as a type 2 diabetes treatment.

In the press release announcing the trial results, Eli Lilly noted that it plans to share its findings at a scientific symposium in June and also submit the data to a peer-reviewed journal. Following that feedback, the company intends to formally submit the trial results to the FDA in mid-2024.