- Health Canada has approved ZEPBOUND (tirzepatide) for treating moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity, making it the first medication approved in Canada for this indication.
- In the Phase III SURMOUNT-OSA trials, Zepbound reduced breathing disruptions by 25 events per hour in patients unwilling or unable to use PAP therapy and by 29 events per hour in patients on PAP therapy, compared with 5 and 6 events per hour for placebo, respectively
- After one year of treatment, 42% of patients without PAP therapy and 50% of those with PAP therapy achieved remission or mild, non-symptomatic OSA, versus 16% and 14%, respectively, with placebo.
- OSA affects millions of Canadians and is closely linked to obesity. Lilly says Zepbound’s approval provides a new treatment option that addresses both excess weight and sleep apnea, conditions associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and reduced quality of life.
Takeaways:
This approval strengthens Lilly’s competitive stance against other GLP-1/GIP agents in the obesity space by adding a disease-specific indication (OSA) that ties directly to weight loss and cardiovascular risk reduction. For the millions of Canadians with OSA linked to obesity, ZEPBOUND offers a medication that can simultaneously improve weight, sleep apnea severity, and downstream risks (diabetes, CVD)
Source: CA Newswire
