Eli Lilly weight loss drug Zepbound effective in sleep apnea trials [Video]

Eli Lilly on Wednesday said its highly popular weight loss drug Zepbound showed the potential to treat patients with the most common sleep-related breathing disorder in two late-stage clinical trials.

The initial results add to the long list of potential health benefits of weight loss and diabetes treatments, which have skyrocketed in demand over the last year despite their high prices and spotty insurance coverage.

Zepbound was more effective than a placebo at reducing the severity of obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, in patients with obesity after a year, according to preliminary data from both trials. OSA refers to interrupted breathing during sleep due to narrowed or blocked airways. The pharmaceutical giant said it plans to present the results at an upcoming medical conference and submit them to the Food and Drug Administration and regulators in other countries in mid-2024.

Eli Lilly previously announced that the FDA granted Zepbound “fast track designation”for patients with moderate-to-severe OSA and obesity. That designation …