The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration has authorized the primary interchangeable biosimilar insulin product, indicated to enhance glycemic management in adults and pediatric sufferers with Sort 1 diabetes mellitus and in adults with Sort 2 diabetes mellitus. Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) is each biosimilar to, and interchangeable with (will be substituted for), its reference product Lantus (insulin glargine), a long-acting insulin analog. Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) is the primary interchangeable biosimilar product authorized within the U.S. for the remedy of diabetes. Approval of those insulin merchandise can present sufferers with further secure, high-quality and probably cost-effective choices for treating diabetes.
“This can be a momentous day for individuals who rely every day on insulin for remedy of diabetes, as biosimilar and interchangeable biosimilar merchandise have the potential to enormously cut back well being care prices,” mentioned Appearing FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “At present’s approval of the primary interchangeable biosimilar product furthers FDA’s longstanding dedication to assist a aggressive market for organic merchandise and finally empowers sufferers by serving to to extend entry to secure, efficient and high-quality drugs at probably decrease value.”
Organic merchandise embrace drugs for treating many critical sicknesses and power well being circumstances, together with diabetes. A biosimilar is a organic product that’s extremely much like, and has no clinically significant variations from, a organic product already authorized by the FDA (additionally referred to as the reference product). This implies you’ll be able to anticipate the identical security and effectiveness from the biosimilar as you’ll the reference product.
An interchangeable biosimilar product could also be substituted for the reference product with out the intervention of the prescriber. The substitution could happen on the pharmacy, a apply generally referred to as “pharmacy-level substitution”—very similar to how generic medication are substituted for model identify medication, topic to state pharmacy legal guidelines, which differ by state. Biosimilar and interchangeable biosimilar merchandise have the potential to cut back well being care prices, much like how generic medication have diminished prices. Biosimilars marketed within the U.S. usually have launched with preliminary checklist costs 15% to 35% decrease than comparative checklist costs of the reference merchandise.
“Entry to inexpensive insulin is essential and long-acting insulin merchandise, like insulin glargine, play an essential function within the remedy of Varieties 1 and a pair of diabetes mellitus,” mentioned Peter Stein, M.D., director of the Workplace of New Medication within the FDA’s Middle for Drug Analysis and Analysis. “The FDA’s excessive requirements for approval imply well being care professionals and sufferers will be assured within the security and effectiveness of an interchangeable biosimilar product, simply as they’d for the reference product.”
All organic merchandise are authorized solely after they meet the FDA’s rigorous approval requirements. The approval of Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) as biosimilar to, and interchangeable with Lantus (insulin glargine), relies on proof that confirmed the merchandise are extremely related and that there are not any clinically significant variations between Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) and Lantus (insulin glargine) by way of security, purity and efficiency (security and effectiveness). It additionally confirmed that Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) will be anticipated to provide the identical medical end result as Lantus (insulin glargine) in any given affected person and that the dangers by way of security or diminished efficacy of switching between Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) and Lantus (insulin glargine) is just not better than the danger of utilizing Lantus (insulin glargine) with out such switching.
Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn), supplied in 10 mL vials and three mL prefilled pens, is run subcutaneously as soon as every day. Dosing of Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn), like Lantus, needs to be individualized based mostly on the affected person’s wants and shouldn’t be used throughout episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or in sufferers with hypersensitivity to insulin glargine merchandise. Additionally, like Lantus, Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) is just not really useful for treating diabetic ketoacidosis. Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) could trigger critical unwanted side effects, together with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), extreme allergic reactions, hypokalemia (low potassium in blood) and coronary heart failure. The commonest unwanted side effects related to insulin glargine merchandise aside from hypoglycemia embrace edema (fluid retention), lipodystrophy (pitting on the injection website), weight acquire and allergic reactions, equivalent to injection website reactions, rash, redness, ache and extreme itching.
The FDA launched new supplies for well being care suppliers to boost understanding about biosimilar and interchangeable biosimilar merchandise, together with a reality sheet about interchangeable biosimilar merchandise.
The FDA granted approval of Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) to Mylan Prescription drugs Inc.
supply: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-interchangeable-biosimilar-insulin-product-treatment-diabetes
