Lilly's retatrutide cut sleep apnea breathing interruptions and weight in two trials

Right · 2Eli Lilly's investigational drug retatrutide significantly reduced breathing interruptions and other symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in two clinical trials, according to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine. 1 2 Right · 2The two phase 3 randomized trials enrolled 691 adults with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea and a BMI of at least 27, of whom 243 did not have type 2 diabetes and 448 did. 1 2 Right · 1Participants received once-weekly injections of retatrutide at 4, 9 or 12 milligrams, or a placebo, and were followed for 80 weeks. 1

Right · 2Those given retatrutide lost between 12% and nearly 20% of their body weight and had significantly fewer breathing interruptions than those given placebo; about 68% had more than a 50% improvement in OSA symptoms, with or without type 2 diabetes. 1 2 Right · 2Hypoxic burden, the severity and duration of low-oxygen episodes during sleep, fell by about 75% in participants without type 2 diabetes and 65% in those with it. 1 2 Right · 1Study co-author Dr. Virend Somers, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, told Fox News Digital the results were expected but that he was surprised by the magnitude of benefit in patients with type 2 diabetes. He said participants also had reductions in systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, systemic inflammation and neck circumference. 1

Right · 2Somers also said insulin levels fell by more than 50% in participants without diabetes, and that among those with type 2 diabetes 40% progressed to prediabetes and another 40% no longer met the criteria for diabetes; he linked the improvements largely to weight loss. 1 2 Right · 1Fox News additionally reported Somers saying sleep apnea resolved completely in about 25% of participants without diabetes and 15% of those with type 2 diabetes, and that CPAP use generally declined during the study. The researchers stressed that patients should not stop CPAP or other prescribed treatments. 1 Right · 2Retatrutide is being evaluated in phase 3 TRIUMPH trials for obesity and related conditions and has not been approved by the FDA, which has warned that unauthorized versions have been illegally sold online. The researchers listed the lack of approval as a limitation and said more study is needed on long-term cardiovascular outcomes, safety and effectiveness. 2 1

Right · 1The National Sleep Foundation says OSA affects more than 50 million Americans and about 80% of cases are undiagnosed. Dr. Wendy Troxel, a RAND behavioral scientist not involved in the study, said CPAP remains the frontline treatment and hoped greater awareness of options would encourage screening. 1