The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Eli Lilly's (LLY, Financial) weight loss drug, Zepbound, for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity. This marks the first drug approved specifically for this common sleep disorder. Clinical trials showed that nearly half of the patients experienced complete symptom relief with Zepbound.
OSA affects around one billion people worldwide, causing brief breathing interruptions during sleep and potentially leading to heart disease. Current treatments include CPAP machines, surgery, and weight loss. Zepbound's active ingredient, Tirzepatide, was initially used for type 2 diabetes treatment under the brand Mounjaro.
Tirzepatide and Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide are popular GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Novo Nordisk is also testing its drug Wegovy for chronic kidney disease treatment. Analysts predict the global weight loss drug market could exceed $100 billion in annual sales by 2030.
