Novel drug treatment developed for diabetes shows promising results to treat sleep apnea
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and international collaborators have led a worldwide, advanced study demonstrating the potential of tirzepatide, known to manage Type 2 diabetes, as the first effective drug therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep-related disorder characterized by repeated episodes of irregular breathing due to complete or partial blockage of the upper airway.
The results, published in the June 21 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, highlight the treatment’s potential to improve the quality of life for millions around the world affected by OSA.
“This study marks a significant milestone in the treatment of OSA, offering a promising new therapeutic option that addresses both respiratory and metabolic complications,” said physician Atul Malhotra, lead author of the study, professor of medicine at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and director of sleep medicine at UC San Diego Health.
OSA can result in reduced oxygen levels in the blood and can also be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, such as hypertension and heart disease. Recent studies, also led by Malhotra, suggest that the number of OSA patients worldwide is close to 936 million.
Conducted in two Phase III, double-blinded, randomized, controlled trials, the new study cohort involved 469 participants diagnosed with clinical obesity and living with moderate-to-severe OSA. They were recruited from sites in nine different countries, including the U.S., Australia and Germany. Participants either used or did not use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, the most common sleep apnea treatment which uses a machine to maintain an open airway during sleep, preventing interruptions in breathing. Patients were administered either 10 or 15 mg of the drug by injection or a placebo. The impact of tirzepatide was evaluated over 52 weeks.
Researchers found that tirzepatide led to a significant decrease in the number of breathing interruptions during sleep, a key indicator used to measure the severity of OSA. This improvement was much greater than what was seen in participants that were given a placebo. Importantly, some participants that took the drug reached a point where CPAP therapy might not be necessary.