05:07 PM EST, 12/20/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Eli Lilly ( LLY ) said late Friday that the US Food and Drug Administration approved its tirzepatide product Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea and obesity.

The approval was based on results from a phase 3 trial, which showed that 42% of adults taking Zepbound and 50% of those on Zepbound with positive airway pressure therapy achieved remission or mild, non-symptomatic sleep apnea after one year, compared with 16% and 14%, respectively, for those on placebo, the company said.

The results also demonstrated an average 18% weight loss among adults taking Zepbound and 20% among those on Zepbound with positive airway pressure therapy, compared to just a 2% weight loss for those on placebo, Eli Lilly ( LLY ) said.