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Novel Drug Improves Airway Collapsibility in People With Sleep Apnea
A drug in development helped prevent the narrowing or collapse of the upper airways during sleep in several patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to results published online ahead of print in the journal Chest.
“Although a small study, our findings represent the first detailed investigation of this new treatment in people with OSA, with promising results,” said lead and corresponding author Amal Osman, PhD, of the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health and FHMRI Sleep Health at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia.
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“The drug we tested is designed to target specific receptors that are expressed on the surface of the upper airways, triggering them more easily to activate the surrounding muscles to keep the airway open during sleep. While there’s still a long way to go in terms of clinical testing and development, our study shows targeting these receptors may be a promising avenue for future treatments.”
Currently, there are no approved drug treatments for OSA, and only about half of people with the condition are able to tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, researchers explained. In the study, 12 patients with OSA received the TASK 1/3 channel antagonist BAY2586116, or placebo, via nasal drops, nasal spray, or direct application using an endoscope. Investigators monitored patients’ sleep and airway activity across several sessions.
Regardless of the delivery method, patients showed consistent and sustained improvement in pharyngeal collapsibility throughout sleep with BAY2586116 compared with placebo treatment, according to the study.
“While further rigorous clinical evaluation and testing is required, this is a great first step and should offer some hope to the many people worldwide who suffer from sleep apnea,” said study senior author Danny Eckert, PhD, director of the sleep lab at FHMRI Sleep Health.
The study was sponsored by Bayer, manufacturer of BAY2586116.
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