New Ultra Long Acting Insulin Could End the Need for Daily Injections

by

L. Woods

Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk has completed clinical testing of a new generation of ultra long acting insulin, called insulin degludec. More than 10,000 type 1 and type 2 diabetics from 40 different countries participated in 17 different trials.

Trial results consistently showed Degludec to be as effective in lowering blood sugar as the current most widely used long acting insulin, Sanofi-Aventis’ Lantus (insulin glargine), with no difference in adverse effects.

More importantly, trial participants given Degludec experienced significantly fewer episodes of hypoglycemia than those given Lantus, especially potentially dangerous night time hypoglycemia. Trials with type 2 diabetics saw a decrease in nighttime hypoglycemia of over 35 percent, and trials with type 1 diabetics of 40 percent.

Degludec is effective for up to 40 hours, roughly twice as long as insulin glargine. Lantus is said to be effective for 18 to 26 hours, although some users report a shorter efficacy. The only other long acting insulin on the market, Novo Nordisk’s Levemir (insulin detemir), has a similar action period. Like Lantus and Levemir, Degludic’s action is flat, without pronounced peaks in effectiveness.

The new insulin is released so slowly and steadily into the body that it may allow some diabetics to go from daily injections to just three injections a week. Degludic’s long and steady action is attributable to the fact it forms a “depot” of soluble multi-hexamers when injected under the skin, from which the insulin is slowly and steadily absorbed into the body.

At the same time, Novo Nordisk is also developing Degludec Plus, the first combination of a long acting insulin (or basal insulin) with a rapid acting (or bolus) insulin, insulin aspart. Until now, it hasn’t been possible to combine a basal insulin and a bolus insulin in one single injection.

Lantus (

insulin glargine

) currently leads the market, generating sales of almost $4 billion a year globally. Levemir (

insulin detemir

) lags far behind in sales. Now that the phase 3 trials have been completed, Novo Nordisk will be seeking FDA approval for both Degludec and Degludec Plus in 2011, and hopes to begin marketing the new diabetes medications in 2013. Degludec is expected to be marketed at a higher price than Lantus, because of its reduced incidence of hypoglycemia and potential need for less frequent insulin injections.

Lynn blogs about news and views of interest to diabetics at

longactinginsulin.com

. Check out the blog and get a $10 off

prescription coupon

for Lantus SoloSTAR long acting insulin from the online

Canadian pharmacy

Big Mountain Drugs.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com