The agency's decision expands the use of Zepbound and could potentially pave the way for Eli Lilly to gain broader insurance coverage for the treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Eli Lilly’s weight-loss drug Zepbound to treat sleep apnea, a common but potentially serious sleep-related breathing disorder, marking it the first medication for certain patients with the condition.

Eli Lilly said the FDA approved Zepbound for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, the first and only prescription medicine for those suffering from this condition.