By 2030, between 2.5 million and 3.8 million cases of obstructive sleep apnea can be avoided — a 10.7% reduction in overall prevalence — based on estimates of patients taking Wegoy.
Sleep apnea is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, according to Airfinity, a disease forecasting company. In its weekly Obesity Market Intelligence newsletter, Airfinity projected there are 23.2 million U.S. adults living with obesity and sleep apnea. By 2040, that prevalence is expected to increase to 30.1 million adults.
Wegovy, a popular weight loss drug, could curb the nation's market of continuous positive airway pressure machines by 11% within six years. This decrease would be from $14.2 billion to $12.6 billion — and stronger anti-obesity drug candidates could shrink this market by nearly twice as much, Airfinity said.
The company outlined two other scenarios. By 2025, Wegovy can prevent between 2 million and 3 million cases of sleep apnea, and between 2.2 million and 3.3 million can be averted by 2027.