With New Name and Leader, Verily/ResMed Joint Venture Poised to Shine Light on America's Sleep Health Crisis

Sleep apnea “robbing sleep from millions of Americans,” says new CEO Jonathon Lobbins

April 5, 2021 – There’s a new name in the study of untreated sleep apnea and the high-tech effort to identify and treat tens of millions of Americans afflicted by it: Primasun.

Translating to “first light,” Primasun is the moniker for a joint venture formed in 2018 by Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet focused on life sciences and healthcare, and ResMed, a global leader in digital health.

The name refers to the dawn we should all wake to see after a full, restorative night’s sleep – as well as the new light Primasun intends to shine on sleep apnea, a disease that affects 54 million Americans, yet remains over 80 percent undiagnosed.

“We need a full night’s sleep right alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise for a strong immune system, the most energy, our best mood – in essence, to be our best selves,” said Primasun CEO Jonathon Lobbins. “Only when sleep apnea stops robbing sleep from millions of Americans can we truly know how healthy we can feel and be, as well as how safe and healthy our communities and our economy can be.”

Lobbins was named CEO of Primasun in November 2020. A longtime healthcare executive for Siemens, Edwards Lifesciences, and Medtronic, Lobbins now leads Primasun’s efforts to study the health and financial impacts of undiagnosed sleep apnea and develop digital solutions that help healthcare providers identify, diagnose, treat, and manage people living with it.

About sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a chronic disease in which the muscles of the throat relax to the point of collapse, restricting airflow and causing the sufferer to stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night. It can cause short-term sleep deprivation, which can affect mood as well as your safety at work and while driving. It’s also strongly linked to life-threatening chronic conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and depression.

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