Danny Eckert, PhD

“It really does have to be this targeted approach of giving it [medications] to the right patients."

 Congress of the European Sleep Research Society in Basel, Switzerland, Danny Eckert, PhD, Neuroscience Research Australia, Professor of Medicine at the University of New South Wales, sat down with 

to discuss the recent identification of 3 key non-anatomical causes of obstructive sleep apnea: impaired upper airway dilator muscle function, a low respiratory arousal threshold, and an unstable respiratory control (high loop gain).

Eckert also mentioned that while continuous positive airway pressure is highly efficacious, it’s poorly tolerated with low adherence rates, and second-line therapies have variable and unpredictable efficacy. The identification of these non-anatomical phenotypes, however, have unlocked new targets for pharmacotherapy. Proof-of-concept studies are using new agents in a targeted phenotypic approach to reduce obstructive sleep apnea severity.

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Proof-of-concept studies using a targeted phenotypic approach to reduce obstructive sleep apnea severity are showing exciting results.

Danny Eckert, PhD: Pharmacotherapies Reducing OSA Severity

“We’ve now identified these 4 main reasons of why people get sleep apnea.”

Current therapies available for obstructive sleep apnea like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), mandibular advancement splints and upper airway surgery focus on alleviating upper airway anatomical predisposition, and while the CPAP, the main line the therapy is effective, it’s poorly tolerated. Second-line therapies are variable and unpredictable in efficacy. The development of new and efficacious therapies is needed.

In recent years, pathophysiological phenotyping has emerged, and this work has identified 3 key non-anatomical causes of obstructive sleep apnea: impaired upper airway dilator muscle function, a low respiratory arousal threshold, and unstable respiratory control. The identification of these non-anatomical phenotypes has unlocked new targets for pharmacotherapies.

To provide more insight about the latest knowledge in sleep apnea phenotyping and the role it’s playing to develop targeted pharmacotherapies, 

sat down with Danny Eckert, PhD, Neuroscience Research Australia, and professor of medicine at the University of New South Wales, at the 24

 Congress of the European Sleep Research Society in Basel, Switzerland.

The identification of 3 key non-anatomical contributors to OSA has unlocked new potential pharmacotherapies, a major advance for the field.

Danny Eckert, PhD

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