Eli Lilly’s obesity pill Foundayo eased obstructive sleep apnea in a late-stage trial programme of two studies, CNBC reported on November 9, and the company plans to file for United States approval for moderate-to-severe sleep apnea in adults with obesity or overweight by the end of the year. In the study of 363 patients unable or unwilling to use positive airway pressure therapy, Foundayo cut the apnea-hypopnea index by an average of 21.1 events per hour at 52 weeks, against 4.8 on placebo, a 43.8 percent overall reduction against 6.3 percent, and 31.5 percent of treated patients met the criteria for remission or improvement to mild apnea. In the second study, of 349 patients continuing airway pressure therapy, the reduction was 18.3 events per hour against 5.5 on placebo.
Patients across both studies lost roughly 11 percent of their weight at 52 weeks. Side effects were mainly gastrointestinal and generally mild to moderate, though about 12 percent of Foundayo patients not using airway pressure therapy stopped treatment because of side effects, against 3.8 percent on placebo. Lilly shares rose about 3.4 percent on Monday morning, according to the market data carried with the report.