Have Sleep Apnea? Try a Weight Loss Drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Eli Lilly’s (LLY.N), opens new tab weight-loss treatment, Zepbound, for obstructive sleep apnea, making it the first drug greenlighted to directly treat patients with the common sleeping disorder.
The regulator approved the drug for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, the company said. The approval opens up a wide market of patients for Lilly at a time when demand for Zepbound is already surging.
It could also strengthen Lilly’s case with commercial insurers and employers, who have previously hesitated to cover the drug due to its high cost. Shares of the Indianapolis-based drugmaker were up 1.14% in after-market trading following the announcement.
Excerpted from Reuters
