Sleep Apnoea Treatment Gets New Drug Approval

Big news! The US Food and Drug Administration has given the go-ahead for Eli Lilly's new drug, Zepbound, to treat adults with both sleep apnoea and obesity. This could be a game-changer for the company, as it looks to expand its successful weight-loss drug business. The drug was shown to significantly improve symptoms in nearly half of the clinical trial patients with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea, often linked to snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, is a common but undiagnosed condition among many US adults. Usually treated with devices like CPAP machines, this new drug could offer a different approach. Eli Lilly is not alone in this race; other pharmaceutical companies are also exploring broader uses for their weight-loss drugs.

European rival Novo Nordisk, however, had a tough day with a disappointing test result for its latest obesity drug, causing its stock to drop. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly's shares saw a 1% boost in after-hours trading on Friday. The drugmaker has had a strong year, with its share price up by 32%. The approval of Zepbound opens up a new market for Eli Lilly, with analysts predicting that the demand for anti-obesity medications in the US could reach over $100 billion by 2030.

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