(WXYZ) — In today’s Health Alert, obstructive sleep apnea may soon be treated with a simple, once-a-day pill. This first-in-class oral drug has shown real promise in a large phase 3 clinical trial.
I have sleep apnea, and I use a CPAP machine every night. A CPAP covers your nose or both your nose and mouth. It gently pushes air through your airway to help keep it open. It helps, but I’ll be honest, it’s not always easy. So I‘ve been really interested in the results of this new drug.
Now, the medication is called AD109. In the study, patients who took the pill once a day saw a nearly 50% reduction in the severity of their sleep apnea after 26 weeks. That’s compared to less than 7% in the placebo group. And by the end of the year-long study, about 23% of participants had complete control of their condition.
That is a big deal. What happens with sleep apnea is that your airway keeps narrowing or closing off, usually because the throat muscles relax too much. That can cause your breathing to repeatedly stop and oxygen levels to drop. It leads to poor sleep, loud snoring, and feeling tired all day.
This new pill is a combination of two medicines. Atomoxetine boosts the nerve signals that control the airway muscles. Aroxybutynin helps keep those muscles from relaxing too much. Together, they help keep the airway open.
The good news is that AD109 was well-tolerated in the trials. There were no serious safety concerns. The most common side effects were mild or moderate, things like dry mouth, trouble sleeping, and some nausea.
Based on the results, the company says it plans to submit the drug to the FDA in early 2026.
As for other treatments, I’ve mentioned the standard treatment - the CPAP machine. It works, but it’s a mask connected to a machine, and for a lot of people, it’s hard to use every night. There are also oral appliances that you wear while you sleep, and surgeries to remove excess tissue from the throat. There’s even a small implant that sends signals to a nerve to move the tongue forward while you sleep. Also, the FDA has approved a drug called Zepbound, but that’s only for people who have both sleep apnea and obesity.
Many of these options are complicated or invasive. That’s why a simple pill could make a big difference and potentially help a lot of people finally get the restful sleep we all need.
