A leading Australian sleep expert is on the verge of developing the first targeted drug treatment for sleep apnoea, a condition affecting more than one million Australians. Professor Danny Eckert, a former elite cyclist and researcher in human sleep and respiratory physiology for over 25 years, has dedicated his career to understanding sleep disorders.
Understanding Sleep Apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, leading to poor rest and serious health risks. Professor Eckert's work has shifted the understanding of OSA from a purely anatomical issue to a multi-factorial condition, enabling targeted therapies with success rates exceeding 80%.
Through his research, he discovered that 70% of people with sleep apnoea have non-anatomical factors contributing to their condition. This insight has allowed the development of new treatments beyond traditional CPAP machines, which blow air into the airways.
Breakthrough Drug Research
A milestone study with colleagues in Boston explored targeted drug treatment focusing on throat muscles that relax during sleep. Professor Eckert explains: "We did a series of studies in the lab and we’re now on the verge of the first targeted drug to treat sleep apnoea. When we trialled drugs with those properties, we were able to activate the muscles three- to four-fold higher than usual compared to a placebo during sleep. It resulted in about a 50 to 65 per cent reduction in sleep apnoea severity."
Beyond the Laboratory
Professor Eckert's mission extends beyond research. He was involved in the multi-award-winning series Australia’s Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley, which featured a world-first clinical trial using targeted approaches. The trial treated 30 people with chronic sleep disorders in two months, resolving disorders in over 80% of participants.
"The idea was that we got some of the worst sleepers in the country," he says. "People who usually wouldn’t get into our very structured clinical trials. We brought them in and followed them throughout their journey. The goal was to raise awareness and offer people hope."
Future of Sleep Apnoea Treatment
With sleep apnoea affecting nearly a billion people globally, many undiagnosed, Professor Eckert focuses on translating research into scalable treatments. He believes the next decade will mark a shift from one-size-fits-all mechanical approaches to precise, personalised medicine.
