Cambridge startup develops a pill for sleep apnea

Apnimed, a startup in Cambridge, this month reported positive test results for a pill-form medication to treat sleep apnea. If approved by federal regulators, it would become the first pill to treat the condition, which makes it hard for patients to breathe when they sleep.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, nearly 30 million Americans have apnea. A pill would be a welcome development to patients, who often wear pressurized ventilation masks to breathe while they sleep.

The startup was created in part by funding from the National Institutes of Health, a resource the Trump administration is trying to cut.

Columnist Scott Kirsner, from our editorial partner MassLive, joins WBUR's Morning Edition to discuss.