Perspectives on Diabetes Care
This is the official blog of the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists where we share recent research and professional opinions on diabetes care and education.
Current & Past ADCES Blog Articles
New Medications for the Management of Diabetes
Nov 2, 2017, 18:02 PM
Recently, I created a presentation for a regional diabetes meeting in Upstate South Carolina. The objective of the presentation was to provide an update on new medications and evidence over the past year. I found the presentation difficult to develop because my background is in pharmacy. Therefore, I typically focus on the medications in terms of chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, as well as clinical implications based on efficacy and safety data.
I know that other healthcare professionals in the room, such as dietitians and nurses, may not solely focus on the new evidence with medications due to different expertise or clinical focus areas. While I may have left out evidence that would be important for a diabetes educator’s practice, I kept in mind that my audience is filled with diabetes educators and she or he should be knowledgeable about the various aspects of diabetes education and management. So, I wanted to share a quick update of the most recently approved products for the management of diabetes.
Enjoy – but as I am writing this blog and submitting to AADE, I am sure semaglutide will be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Adlyxin™
- Manufacturer: Sanofi
- Indication: Adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes
- Dosing: 10 mcg once daily for 14 days, then 20 mcg once daily
Administration: Subcutaneously, within one hour before the first meals of the day - Availability: Pre-filled, disposable pen
- A1c reduction: -0.73 to -0.97% (as monotherapy or with oral antidiabetic drugs); -0.57 to -0.8% (with insulin)
Soliqua 100/33™
- Manufacturer: Sanofi
- Indication: Adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on basal insulin (less than 60 units per day) or lixisenatide
- Dosing: 15 to 30 units of insulin glargine initially, titrated to maximum dose of 60 units of insulin glargine (with 20 mcg of lixisenatide)
- Administration: Subcutaneously, within the hour prior to the first meal of the day
- Availability: Pre-filled, disposable pen
- A1c reduction: -1.1 to -1.6%
Xultophy® 100/3.6
- Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk
- Indication: Adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on basal insulin (less than 50 units per day) or liraglutide (less than or equal to 1.8 mg per day)
- Dosing: 16 units of insulin degludec (and 0.58 mg of liraglutide), titrated to maximum dose of 50 units of insulin degludec (and 1.8 mg of liraglutide)
- Administration: Subcutaneously, same time each day with or without food
- Availability: Pre-filled, disposable pen
- A1c reduction: -1.3 to -2.0%
Fiasp®
- Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk
- Indication: As a rapid-acting insulin, to improve glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes
- Dosing: Individualized
- Administration: Subcutaneously at the start of a meal or within 20 minutes after starting a meal into the abdomen, upper arm, or thigh; intravenously after diluting to concentrations from 0.5 to 1 unit per mL insulin aspart in infusion systems using polypropylene infusion bags
- Availability: Pre-filled, disposable pen or vials
About the Author
Jennifer Clements received her Doctorate of Pharmacy from Campbell University in 2006 and completed a primary care residency at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 2007. She is also a certified diabetes educator and board certified in pharmacotherapy. Currently, she is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy.