A former elite cyclist turned sleep expert is on the verge of developing the first targeted drug treatment for sleep apnoea, a condition affecting over one million Australians. Professor Danny Eckert, a leading researcher in human sleep and respiratory physiology at Flinders University, has spent more than 25 years studying sleep disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). His groundbreaking work has transformed the global understanding of the condition from a purely anatomical problem to a multi-factorial disorder, enabling personalised therapies with success rates exceeding 80 per cent.
Understanding Sleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, leading to poor rest and serious health, safety, and economic consequences. Traditionally, obesity and blocked airways were considered the main causes. However, Professor Eckert's research revealed that 70 per cent of people with sleep apnoea have non-anatomical factors contributing to their condition. This insight has paved the way for new treatments beyond mechanical devices like CPAP machines.
Breakthrough in Targeted Therapy
A milestone study conducted with colleagues in Boston explored a drug treatment targeting the 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."
From Lab to Clinic
Professor Eckert's mission extends beyond the laboratory. With hundreds of millions of people worldwide living with undiagnosed or poorly treated sleep disorders, the stakes are enormous. His involvement in the multi-award-winning series Australia's Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley showcased a world-first clinical trial using targeted approaches. The trial successfully resolved sleep disorders in more than 80 per cent of participants, including the late Dr Mosley and 30 others with chronic sleep issues.
"The idea was that we got some of the worst sleepers in the country," Professor Eckert 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 – that these new individualised, tailored approaches to therapy are not only underway in our research labs but are also being rolled out clinically."
Future of Sleep Apnoea Treatment
With sleep apnoea affecting close to a billion people globally, many undiagnosed, the focus now is on translating research into scalable treatments beyond specialist clinics. Professor Eckert believes the next decade could mark a significant shift from one-size-fits-all mechanical approaches to precise, personalised medicine. As targeted therapies move from laboratory trials into broader clinical use, patients may soon have access to effective drug treatments that address the root causes of their condition.
