Biotech Showcase Interviews
Waking up market to US obstructive sleep apnea epidemic
With an estimated 30 million sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea, estimated to cost the US economy about $162 billion, there is an urgent need to find an acceptable solution. While CPAP is considered 100% effective, only 30% of patients prescribed the device use it routinely. During the 2018 Biotech Showcase, RespireRx president and CEO James Manuso explained to Scrip how the company is repurposing a D9-THC, small molecule cannabinoid receptor agonist, already on the market for the treatment of anorexia in AIDS patients and nausea and vomiting in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, that can be taken orally an hour before sleep. Phase IIb studies demonstrated the drug’s effectiveness. Manuso is now looking for partners and financiers to commercialize the drug.