Summary
Gabapentin Enacarbil has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). ClinicalTrials.gov lists 2 registered trials linking Gabapentin Enacarbil to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): 2 have completed. The most advanced is Phase 3 (NCT02987985). The largest enrolment is 62 participants (NCT00886236). Registration activity spans 2008 to 2017. No published literature item is linked to Gabapentin Enacarbil and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) in the OSMF database yet, so the record rests on registry entries alone. Registry entries describe intent to study, not outcomes.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Obstructive Sleep Apnea ranks 50 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Spontaneous resolution without intervention rare; weight loss of 10-15% reduces AHI by 25-50% in obese patients; mild OSA may resolve with weight loss; moderate-severe OSA essentially irreversible without intervention.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 27.0 (trials 7.0, literature 0.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 2 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 2 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 0 |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | modulator |
| Data sources | DGIdb |
| Linked via biomarker / target | CACNA1F |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT02987985 | Efficacy of Opioid-free Anesthesia in Reducing Postoperative Respiratory Depression in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy 2017 | completed | Phase 3 | 50 |
| NCT00886236 | Study of the Effect of the Drug Gabapentin on Postoperative Pain and Incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting 2008 | completed | Not applicable | 62 |
Published literature
No publication is linked to this pair yet.
Mechanism and notes
Recorded mechanism or class: modulator.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target CACNA1F. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gabapentin Enacarbil approved for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)?
Gabapentin Enacarbil has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Gabapentin Enacarbil in clinical trials for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 2 registered trials linking Gabapentin Enacarbil to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): 2 have completed. The most advanced is Phase 3 (NCT02987985). The largest enrolment is 62 participants (NCT00886236). Registration activity spans 2008 to 2017.
What does the evidence show for Gabapentin Enacarbil in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)?
Gabapentin Enacarbil has 2 completed registered trials for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) but no linked publication, which usually means results are unpublished, pending, or not yet matched to this record. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target CACNA1F. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-06. Page built 2026-10-07.