Understandably there’s been a huge emphasis on disrupting the...

Understandably there’s been a huge emphasis on disrupting the OSA market with IHL-42X, and it’s certainly a massive opportunity. However, I haven’t seen any commentary from the company on heart disease.

Obstructive sleep apnea has long been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular issues, including heart attack and stroke. I just read an NIH-funded study that was attempting to understand the mechanism involved in heart issues for OSA sufferers. They determined that a reduction in blood oxygen levels is the leading factor.

You might recall that reduced oxygen uptake is a key component of the pathology of OSA. In the most recent OSA trials, Incannex collected data on oxygen desaturation index (ODI). All three doses of IHL-42X reduced ODI compared to baseline to a greater extent than placebo. And for low and medium dose IHL-42X the difference in reduction in ODI relative to baseline compared to placebo was statistically significant (p<0.05). In other words, there was more oxygen in the subject’s blood during sleep while taking IHL-42X.

If the phase 2, 3 pivotal trials are successful then IHL-42X could be a block buster drug for the treatment of OSA. However, I think there’s also the potential opportunity for it to be given to even mild OSA patients as a potential preventative treatment for heart disease. These are significant market opportunities, particularly here in the States.

Thoughts?