insulin glargine
insulin glargine
Most common
More serious
Most common
More serious
You should not use Toujeo if you:
You should talk to your doctor before using Toujeo if you:
You should not use Lantus if you:
You should talk to your doctor before using Lantus if you:
Once per day
Once per day
4.5 milliliters of Toujeo Solostar (300 units/mL) costs around $419
A 10 ml, 100 unit vial of Lantus costs approximately $306
Toujeo and Lantus are two of the most common type of insulin products used for people with type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus. They are long-acting human insulins, so usually only need to be injected once a day.
Both medications are forms of insulin glargine, a long-acting basal insulin analog produced by the manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis. Here we explain how they work as insulin therapy, the similarities and differences between Toujeo vs. Lantus, their side effects, and more. This should provide you with the basics to better understand your options.
Toujeo is an FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved medication manufactured by Sanofi-aventis. Toujeo is a man-made version of the long-acting insulins. It’s used to help people with type I and type II diabetes to manage their blood glucose control. It can be prescribed to adults and children over six years of age. Toujeo is injected under the skin, usually once every 24 hours, using pre-filled pen devices.
Diabetes is a condition that causes you to have high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). When you digest food, sugar is released into your blood. It’s then transported around your body in your blood to be taken to the organs and cells that use it. A hormone called insulin draws the sugar out of your blood for your organs and cells.
In people with diabetes, limited sugar is drawn out of the blood. This is usually caused by not having enough insulin, or your body not responding to insulin as efficiently as it should. Having high blood glucose levels over a long period can cause a range of serious health problems, including nerve damage, kidney disease, heart disease, and strokes.
Toujeo helps with diabetes by encouraging your body to draw more sugar out of your blood. It’s a long-acting form of insulin that helps you maintain lower blood sugar levels over long periods of time.
The active ingredient in Toujeo is insulin glargine. It’s a type of man-made insulin that’s similar to the insulin your body makes naturally. When you inject Toujeo under your skin, insulin glargine is released into your blood supply. Over time, the insulin glargine attaches itself to cells in your body. As it does so, it causes your cells to release a substance that helps them absorb sugar from your blood.
Toujeo is available in the following formulations: Injection: 300 units/mL insulin glargine in 1.5 mL Toujeo SoloStar prefilled insulin pens, and 3 mL Toujeo Max SoloStar prefilled pens.
Individualize your insulin dose based on your diabetes, metabolic requirements, blood glucose results and your glycemic control goal. Inject subcutaneously into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm once daily at any time, at the same time each day. Rotate the injection site to reduce the risk of lipodystrophy and localized cutaneous amyloidosis.
Drug 2 is an FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved medication manufactured by Sanofi-aventis. Lantus is a long-acting synthetic insulin prescribed to reduce high blood sugar levels in adults and children aged 6 years and over with type 1 diabetes, or adults with type 2 diabetes.
Lantus works in the same way as the insulin your body naturally produces. The medication helps your cells absorb sugar from your blood. As it is a slow-acting version of insulin. One injection can give you all the insulin you need over 24 hours. You inject Lantus under your skin subcutaneously using a syringe or a pre-filled injectable SoloStar pen.
The active ingredient in Lantus is called insulin glargine, a type of synthetic (man-made) insulin. Insulin glargine works in a similar way to the insulin your body makes naturally, except it’s been designed to be slower acting to work over a longer period.
When you inject Lantus under your skin, the insulin glargine is released into your bloodstream. It travels around your body and attaches to cells that need sugar. This causes your cells to release a substance that helps them absorb sugar from your blood. Insulin glargine can be active for up to 24 hours, so it can cover your insulin needs for up to a day.
Lantus is available in injection form, in the following doses: 10 mL multiple-dose vials, and 3 mL SoloStar prefilled pens.
Individualize your insulin dose based on your diabetes, metabolic requirements, blood glucose results, and your glycemic control goal. Inject subcutaneously into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm once daily at any time, at the same time each day. Rotate the injection site to reduce the risk of lipodystrophy and localized cutaneous amyloidosis.
Toujeo is not bioequivalent to insulin glargine 100 units/ml (Lantus) and they are not interchangeable without dose adjustment. Unit for unit, patients started on or changed to a Toujeo insulin regimen require a higher dose than patients controlled with Lantus.
The most common side effects of Toujeo in clinical trials include:
More serious side effects of Toujeo include:
The most common side effects of Lantus in clinical trials include:
More serious side effects of Lantus include
These aren’t all the side effects Toujeo or Drug 2 can cause. You can find more details in the patient leaflet that comes with your medication. If you have any concerns about adverse events, talk to a healthcare professional.
Toujeo can interact with other medications. These include:
Lantus can interact with other medications. These include:
Toujeo and Lantus can interact with other medications. This can change how Toujeo and Lantus and other medications work and can make side effects more likely. Tell your prescribing physician about all drugs you’re taking, including vitamins and dietary supplements.
You should not use Toujeo if you:
Talk to your doctor before using Toujeo if you:
You should not use Lantus if you:
Talk to your doctor before using Lantus if you:
Medication errors and mix-ups between basal insulin products and other insulins, particularly rapid-acting insulins can occur. You should always verify the insulin label before using each injection. If you have any concerns about Toujeo or Lantus side effects, talk to your physician, or pharmacist for medical advice. Also inform your healthcare provider about any medical conditions, supplements, and over-the-counter meds you are taking. You are also encouraged to report side effects to the FDA: visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
