Insulin
Insulin jabs are pictured on a production line in Novo Nordisk's plant in Kalundborg November 4, 2013. Picture taken November 4, 2013. Novo Nordisk's Kalundborg factory, 100 km west of Copenhagen, makes half the planet's insulin for diabetics, putting it on a list of global sites the United States sees as vital to its interests, according to a WikiLeaks cable in 2010. Soaring diabetes rates, driven by increasing obesity, have fuelled profits at the Danish company for two decades. But now the company wants to tackle obesity head on by launching a treatment specifically to help patients lose weight. To match Insight OBESITY-BUSINESS/ Reuters

Diabetics who have fear of the needle and are required by their doctors insulin injections have some relief coming their way.

Sanofi and Mannkind said on Tuesday that a human insulin, to be sold under the brand name Afrezza Inhalation Powder, would be available by prescription in US retail pharmacies. The inhaled form of insulin, which helps lower blood sugar for type 1 and type 2 diabetics, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Because of fear of needles, some diabetics have stopped going to their doctors when told that they soon have to move from oral medication for their maintenance drugs to insulin, which used to be only in injectable form.

Dr Janet McGill, investigator of the Afrezza clinical trial and professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, said many diabetics who could no longer control their blood sugar levels on their current medication could benefit from the inhalable insulin.

“This delivery option may help change the dialogue between health care professionals and people living with diabetes about initiating or intensifying insulin therapy,” McGill said.

She added that Afrezza must not be used by diabetics with chronic lung ailments such as asthma or COPD and it cannot be used to treat diabetic ketoacidosis. It is likewise not recommended for patients who smoke or just stopped the habit recently. It also must not be substituted for long-acting insulin for type 1 diabetic patients.

Pierre Chancel, senior vice president for the Diabetes Division of Sanofi, said in a statement, “There is a recognized need for insulin that doesn’t require an injection, and our organization is committed to making this new treatment option available to patients.”

The inhaled insulin is delivered through a small and portable inhaler. The dry formulation, taken before a meal, is rapidly dissolved upon inhalation to the lungs and delivers insulin quickly to the patient’s bloodstream. Within 12 to 15 minutes of administration, peak insulin levels are achieve.

It is available in 4-unit and 8-unit single dose cartridges of insulin powder. Diabetics who need bigger doses of insulin could combine doses using the 4- or 8-unit cartridges.

The use of the disposable inhaler, which must be stored in clean and dry place with the mouthpiece cover on, is up to 15 days. It may be wiped clean using clean, dry cloth.

The manufacturers said it is considering larger doses in single cartridges.

The FDA approved in 2006 an inhalable insulin by Exubera which expected sales of $2 billion, but it eventually the product from the market because the inhaler was bulky and patients who use it need to undergo lung function tests periodically.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au

RELATED STORIES