Eli Lilly’s Foundayo obesity pill eases sleep apnea in late-stage trial, paving way for approval

Eli Lilly said its experimental daily obesity pill Foundayo significantly reduced the severity of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity in a late-stage trial, clearing the way for a U.S. regulatory filing by the end of the year. The company did not disclose the magnitude of the reduction in apnea-hypopnea index or other detailed efficacy figures in the announcement. The result matters because it would give Lilly an oral alternative to injectable GLP-1 therapies in a sleep apnea market where rival weight-loss drugs have already won label expansions. Lilly is betting the pill can capture patients who resist injections and extend its obesity franchise beyond weight loss alone. Next, investors will watch the full trial data, the FDA's acceptance and review timeline for the filing, and whether the label Lilly seeks covers sleep apnea independently of weight loss.