Risk Factors for Hypoglycemia
The risk of hypoglycemia after an injection is related to the duration of action of the insulin and, in general, is highest when the glucose lowering effect of the insulin is maximal. As with all insulin preparations, the glucose lowering effect time course of insulin glargine products may vary in different individuals or at different times in the same individual and depends on many conditions, including the area of injection as well as the injection site blood supply and temperature [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. Other factors which may increase the risk of hypoglycemia include changes in meal pattern (e.g., macronutrient content or timing of meals), changes in level of physical activity, or changes to coadministered medication [see Drug Interactions (7)]. Patients with renal or hepatic impairment may be at higher risk of hypoglycemia [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6, 8.7)].
Risk Mitigation Strategies for Hypoglycemia
Patients and caregivers must be educated to recognize and manage hypoglycemia. Self-monitoring of blood glucose plays an essential role in the prevention and management of hypoglycemia. In patients at higher risk for hypoglycemia and patients who have reduced symptomatic awareness of hypoglycemia, increased frequency of blood glucose monitoring is recommended.
The long-acting effect of insulin glargine products may delay recovery from hypoglycemia.
Severe Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is the most commonly observed adverse reaction in patients using insulins, including insulin glargine products [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]. Tables 5, and 6, and 7 summarize the incidence of severe hypoglycemia in the insulin glargine individual clinical trials. Severe symptomatic hypoglycemia was defined as an event with symptoms consistent with hypoglycemia requiring the assistance of another person and associated with either a blood glucose below 50 mg/dL (≤56 mg/dL in the 5-year trial and ≤36 mg/dL in the ORIGIN trial) or prompt recovery after oral carbohydrate, intravenous glucose or glucagon administration.
Percentages of insulin glargine-treated adult patients experiencing severe symptomatic hypoglycemia in the insulin glargine clinical trials, [see Clinical Studies (14)] were comparable to percentages of NPH-treated patients for all treatment regimens (see Table 5 and 6). In the pediatric phase 3 clinical trial, children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes had a higher incidence of severe symptomatic hypoglycemia in the two treatment groups compared to the adult trials with type 1 diabetes.
Table 5: Severe Symptomatic Hypoglycemia in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes
| Study A Type 1 Diabetes Adults 28 weeks In combination with regular insulin | Study B Type 1 Diabetes Adults 28 weeks In combination with regular insulin | Study C Type 1 Diabetes Adults 16 weeks In combination with insulin lispro | Study D Type 1 Diabetes Pediatrics 26 weeks In combination with regular insulin |
| Insulin Glargine N=292 | NPH N=293 | Insulin Glargine N=264 | NPH N=270 | Insulin Glargine N=310 | NPH N=309 | Insulin Glargine N=174 | NPH N=175 |
| Percent of patients
| 10.6
| 15.0
| 8.7
| 10.4
| 6.5
| 5.2
| 23.0
| 28.6
|
Table 6: Severe Symptomatic Hypoglycemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
| Study E Type 2 Diabetes Adults 52 weeks In combination with oral agents | Study F Type 2 Diabetes Adults 28 weeks In combination with regular insulin | Study G Type 2 Diabetes Adults 5 years In combination with regular insulin |
| Insulin Glargine N=289 | NPH N=281 | Insulin Glargine N=259 | NPH N=259 | Insulin Glargine N=513 | NPH N=504 |
| Percent of patients
| 1.7
| 1.1
| 0.4
| 2.3
| 7.8
| 11.9
|
Table 7 displays the proportion of patients experiencing severe symptomatic hypoglycemia in the insulin glargine and Standard Care groups in the ORIGIN Trial [see Clinical Studies (14)].
Table 7: Severe Symptomatic Hypoglycemia in the ORIGIN Trial
| ORIGIN Trial Median duration of follow-up: 6.2 years |
Insulin Glargine (N=6231) | Standard Care (N=6273) |
| Percent of patients
| 5.6
| 1.8
|
Peripheral Edema
Some patients taking insulin glargine products have experienced sodium retention and edema, particularly if previously poor metabolic control is improved by intensified insulin therapy.
Lipodystrophy
Administration of insulin subcutaneously, including insulin glargine products, has resulted in lipoatrophy (depression in the skin) or lipohypertrophy (enlargement or thickening of tissue) in some patients [see Dosage and Administration (2.2)].
Insulin Initiation and Intensification of Glucose Control
Intensification or rapid improvement in glucose control has been associated with a transitory, reversible ophthalmologic refraction disorder, worsening of diabetic retinopathy, and acute painful peripheral neuropathy. However, long-term glycemic control decreases the risk of diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy.
Weight gain
Weight gain has occurred with some insulin therapies including insulin glargine products and has been attributed to the anabolic effects of insulin and the decrease in glycosuria.
Allergic Reactions
Local allergy
As with any insulin therapy, patients taking insulin glargine products may experience injection site reactions, including redness, pain, itching, urticaria, edema, and inflammation. In clinical studies in adult patients, there was a higher incidence of treatment-emergent injection site pain in insulin glargine-treated patients (2.7%) compared to NPH insulin-treated patients (0.7%). The reports of pain at the injection site did not result in discontinuation of therapy.
Systemic allergy
Severe, life-threatening, generalized allergy, including anaphylaxis, generalized skin reactions, angioedema, bronchospasm, hypotension, and shock may occur with any insulin, including insulin glargine products and may be life threatening.
Risk Summary
Published studies with use of insulin glargine products during pregnancy have not reported a clear association with insulin glargine products and adverse developmental outcomes (see Data). There are risks to the mother and fetus associated with poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy (see Clinical Considerations).
Rats and rabbits were exposed to insulin glargine in animal reproduction studies during organogenesis, respectively 50 times and 10 times the human subcutaneous dose of 0.2 units/kg/day. Overall, the effects of insulin glargine did not generally differ from those observed with regular human insulin (see Data).
The estimated background risk of major birth defects is 6% to 10% in women with pregestational diabetes with an HbA1c >7 and has been reported to be as high as 20% to 25% in women with an HbA1c >10. The estimated background risk of miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively.
Clinical Considerations
Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk
Poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy increases the maternal risk for diabetic ketoacidosis, preeclampsia, spontaneous abortions, preterm delivery, and delivery complications. Poorly controlled diabetes increases the fetal risk for major birth defects, stillbirth, and macrosomia-related morbidity.
Data
Human Data
Published data do not report a clear association with insulin glargine products and major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes when insulin glargine is used during pregnancy. However, these studies cannot definitely establish the absence of any risk because of methodological limitations including small sample size and some lacking comparator groups.
Animal Data
Subcutaneous reproduction and teratology studies have been performed with insulin glargine and regular human insulin in rats and Himalayan rabbits. Insulin glargine was given to female rats before mating, during mating, and throughout pregnancy at doses up to 0.36 mg/kg/day, which is approximately 50 times the recommended human subcutaneous starting dose of 0.2 units/kg/day (0.007 mg/kg/day) based on a mg/kg basis. In rabbits, doses of 0.072 mg/kg/day, which is approximately 10 times the recommended human subcutaneous starting dose of 0.2 units/kg/day based on a mg/kg basis, were administered during organogenesis. The effects of insulin glargine did not generally differ from those observed with regular human insulin in rats or rabbits. However, in rabbits, five fetuses from two litters of the high-dose group exhibited dilation of the cerebral ventricles. Fertility and early embryonic development appeared normal.
Risk Summary
There are either no or only limited data on the presence of insulin glargine products in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Endogenous insulin is present in human milk. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for REZVOGLAR and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from REZVOGLAR or from the underlying maternal condition.
Absorption and Bioavailability
After subcutaneous injection of insulin glargine in healthy subjects and in patients with diabetes, the insulin serum concentrations indicated a slower, more prolonged absorption and a relatively constant concentration/time profile over 24 hours with no pronounced peak in comparison to NPH insulin.
Metabolism and Elimination
A metabolism study in humans indicates that insulin glargine is partly metabolized at the carboxyl terminus of the B chain in the subcutaneous depot to form two active metabolites with in vitro activity similar to that of human insulin, M1 (21A-Gly-insulin) and M2 (21A-Gly-des-30B-Thr-insulin). Unchanged drug and these degradation products are also present in the circulation.
Specific Populations
Age, race, and gender
Effect of age, race, and gender on the pharmacokinetics of insulin glargine products has not been evaluated. However, in controlled clinical trials in adults (n=3890) and a controlled clinical trial in pediatric patients (n=349), subgroup analyses based on age, race, and gender did not show differences in safety and efficacy between insulin glargine and NPH insulin [see Clinical Studies (14)].
Obesity
Effect of Body Mass Index (BMI) on the pharmacokinetics of insulin glargine products has not been evaluated.
Type 1 Diabetes – Pediatric (see
Table 10)
In a randomized, controlled clinical study (Study D), pediatric patients (age range 6 to 15 years) with type 1 diabetes (n=349) were treated for 28 weeks with a basal-bolus insulin regimen where regular human insulin was used before each meal. Insulin glargine was administered once daily at bedtime and NPH insulin was administered once or twice daily. The average age was 11.7 years. The majority of patients were White (96.8%) and 51.9% were male. The mean BMI was approximately 18.9 kg/m2. The mean duration of diabetes was 4.8 years. Similar effects on HbA1c (see
Table 10) were observed in both treatment groups [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)].
Table 10: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus – Pediatric
Treatment duration Treatment in combination with | Study D 28 weeks Regular insulin |
| Insulin Glargine + Regular Insulin | NPH + Regular Insulin |
| Number of subjects treated
| 174
| 175
|
| HbA1c |
| Baseline mean
| 8.5
| 8.8
|
| Change from baseline (adjusted mean)
| +0.3
| +0.3
|
Difference from NPH (adjusted mean) (95% CI)
| 0.0 (-0.2; +0.3)
|
| Basal insulin dose |
| Baseline mean
| 19
| 19
|
| Mean change from baseline
| -1
| +2
|
| Total insulin dose |
| Baseline mean
| 43
| 43
|
| Mean change from baseline
| +2
| +3
|
| Fasting blood glucose (mg/dL) |
| Baseline mean
| 194
| 191
|
| Mean change from baseline
| -23
| -12
|
| Body weight (kg) |
| Baseline mean
| 45.5
| 44.6
|
| Mean change from baseline
| 2.2
| 2.5
|
Insulin Glargine Timing of Daily Dosing (see
Table 12)
The safety and efficacy of insulin glargine administered pre-breakfast, pre-dinner, or at bedtime were evaluated in a randomized, controlled clinical study in patients with type 1 diabetes (Study H; n=378). Patients were also treated with insulin lispro at mealtime. The average age was 40.9 years. All patients were White (100%) and 53.7% were male. The mean BMI was approximately 25.3 kg/m2. The mean duration of diabetes was 17.3 years. Insulin glargine administered at different times of the day resulted in similar reductions in HbA1c compared to that with bedtime administration (see
Table 12). In these patients, data are available from 8-point home glucose monitoring. The maximum mean blood glucose was observed just prior to injection of insulin glargine regardless of time of administration.
In this study, 5% of patients in the insulin glargine-breakfast arm discontinued treatment because of lack of efficacy. No patients in the other two arms discontinued for this reason. The safety and efficacy of insulin glargine administered pre-breakfast or at bedtime were also evaluated in a randomized, active-controlled clinical study (Study I, n=697) in patients with type 2 diabetes not adequately controlled on oral anti-diabetic therapy. All patients in this study also received glimepiride 3 mg daily. The average age was 60.8 years. The majority of patients were White (96.6%) and 53.7% were male. The mean BMI was approximately 28.7 kg/m2. The mean duration of diabetes was 10.1 years. Insulin glargine given before breakfast was at least as effective in lowering HbA1c as insulin glargine given at bedtime or NPH insulin given at bedtime (see
Table 12).
Table 12: Insulin Glargine Timing of Daily Dosing in Type 1 (Study H) and Type 2 (Study I) Diabetes Mellitus
|
|
Treatment duration Treatment in combination with | Study H 24 weeks Insulin lispro | Study I 24 weeks Glimepiride |
| Insulin Glargine Breakfast | Insulin Glargine Dinner | Insulin Glargine Bedtime | Insulin Glargine Breakfast | Insulin Glargine Bedtime | NPH Bedtime |
| Number of subjects treated* | 112
| 124
| 128
| 234
| 226
| 227
|
| HbA1c |
| Baseline mean
| 7.6
| 7.5
| 7.6
| 9.1
| 9.1
| 9.1
|
| Mean change from baseline
| -0.2
| -0.1
| 0.0
| -1.3
| -1.0
| -0.8
|
| Basal insulin dose (U) |
| Baseline mean
| 22
| 23
| 21
| 19
| 20
| 19
|
| Mean change from baseline
| 5
| 2
| 2
| 11
| 18
| 18
|
| Total insulin dose (U) | | | | NA†
| NA
| NA
|
| Baseline mean
| 52
| 52
| 49
| | | |
| Mean change from baseline
| 2
| 3
| 2
| | | |
| Body weight (kg) |
| Baseline mean
| 77.1
| 77.8
| 74.5
| 80.7
| 82
| 81
|
| Mean change from baseline
| 0.7
| 0.1
| 0.4
| 3.9
| 3.7
| 2.9
|
Five-year Trial Evaluating the Progression of Retinopathy
Retinopathy was evaluated in the insulin glargine clinical studies by analysis of reported retinal adverse events and fundus photography. The numbers of retinal adverse events reported for insulin glargine and NPH insulin treatment groups were similar for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Insulin glargine was compared to NPH insulin in a 5-year randomized clinical trial that evaluated the progression of retinopathy as assessed with fundus photography using a grading protocol derived from the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Scale (ETDRS). Patients had type 2 diabetes (mean age 55 years) with no (86%) or mild (14%) retinopathy at baseline. Mean baseline HbA1c was 8.4%. The primary outcome was progression by 3 or more steps on the ETDRS scale at study endpoint. Patients with pre-specified postbaseline eye procedures (pan-retinal photocoagulation for proliferative or severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, local photocoagulation for new vessels, and vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy) were also considered as 3-step progressors regardless of actual change in ETDRS score from baseline. Retinopathy graders were blinded to treatment group assignment. The results for the primary endpoint are shown in Table 13 for both the per-protocol and intent-to-treat populations, and indicate similarity of insulin glargine to NPH in the progression of diabetic retinopathy as assessed by this outcome.
Table 13: Number (%) of Patients with 3 or More Step Progression on ETDRS Scale at Endpoint
|
|
| Insulin Glargine (%) | NPH (%) | Difference*,†
(SE) | 95% CI for difference |
| Per-protocol | 53/374 (14.2%)
| 57/363 (15.7%)
| -2.0% (2.6%)
| -7.0% to +3.1%
|
| Intent-to-Treat | 63/502 (12.5%)
| 71/487 (14.6%)
| -2.1% (2.1%)
| -6.3% to +2.1%
|
The ORIGIN Study
The Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine Intervention trial (i.e., ORIGIN) was an open-label, randomized, 2-by-2, factorial design study. One intervention in ORIGIN compared the effect of insulin glargine to standard care on major adverse cardiovascular outcomes in 12,537 participants ≥50 years of age with abnormal glucose levels (i.e., impaired fasting glucose [IFG] and/or impaired glucose tolerance [IGT]) or early type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular (i.e., CV) disease or CV risk factors at baseline.
The objective of the trial was to demonstrate that use of insulin glargine could significantly lower the risk of major cardiovascular outcomes compared to standard care. Two co-primary composite cardiovascular endpoints were used in ORIGIN. The first co-primary endpoint was the time to first occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event defined as the composite of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and nonfatal stroke. The second co-primary endpoint was the time to the first occurrence of CV death or nonfatal myocardial infarction or nonfatal stroke or revascularization procedure or hospitalization for heart failure.
Participants were randomized to either insulin glargine (N=6264) titrated to a goal fasting plasma glucose of ≤95 mg/dL or to standard care (N=6273). Anthropometric and disease characteristics were balanced at baseline. The mean age was 64 years and 8% of participants were 75 years of age or older. The majority of participants were male (65%). Fifty nine percent were Caucasian, 25% were Latin, 10% were Asian and 3% were Black. The median baseline BMI was 29 kg/m2. Approximately 12% of participants had abnormal glucose levels (IGT and/or IFG) at baseline and 88% had type 2 diabetes. For patients with type 2 diabetes, 59% were treated with a single oral antidiabetic drug, 23% had known diabetes but were on no antidiabetic drug and 6% were newly diagnosed during the screening procedure. The mean HbA1c (SD) at baseline was 6.5% (1.0). Fifty-nine percent of participants had had a prior cardiovascular event and 39% had documented coronary artery disease or other cardiovascular risk factors.
Vital status was available for 99.9% and 99.8% of participants randomized to insulin glargine and standard care respectively at end of trial. The median duration of follow-up was 6.2 years (range: 8 days to 7.9 years). The mean HbA1c (SD) at the end of the trial was 6.5% (1.1) and 6.8% (1.2) in the insulin glargine and standard care group respectively. The median dose of insulin glargine at end of trial was 0.45 U/kg. Eighty-one percent of patients randomized to insulin glargine were using insulin glargine at end of the study. The mean change in body weight from baseline to the last treatment visit was 2.2 kg greater in the insulin glargine group than in the standard care group.
Overall, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular outcomes was similar between groups (see
Table 14). All-cause mortality was also similar between groups.
Table 14: Cardiovascular Outcomes in ORIGIN – Time to First Event Analyses
| Insulin Glargine N=6264 | Standard Care N=6273 | Insulin Glargine vs. Standard Care |
| n (Events per 100 PY)
| n (Events per 100 PY)
| Hazard Ratio (95% CI)
|
| Coprimary endpoints |
| CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke
| 1041 (2.9)
| 1013 (2.9)
| 1.02 (0.94, 1.11)
|
| CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for heart failure or revascularization procedure
| 1792 (5.5)
| 1727 (5.3)
| 1.04 (0.97, 1.11)
|
| Components of coprimary endpoints |
| CV death
| 580
| 576
| 1.00 (0.89, 1.13)
|
| Myocardial Infarction (fatal or nonfatal)
| 336
| 326
| 1.03 (0.88, 1.19)
|
| Stroke (fatal or nonfatal)
| 331
| 319
| 1.03 (0.89, 1.21)
|
| Revascularizations
| 908
| 860
| 1.06 (0.96, 1.16)
|
| Hospitalization for heart failure
| 310
| 343
| 0.90 (0.77, 1.05)
|
In the ORIGIN trial, the overall incidence of cancer (all types combined) or death from cancer (Table 15) was similar between treatment groups.
Table 15: Cancer Outcomes in ORIGIN – Time to First Event Analyses
| Insulin Glargine N=6264 | Standard Care N=6273 | Insulin Glargine vs. Standard Care |
| n (Events per 100 PY)
| n (Events per 100 PY)
| Hazard Ratio (95% CI)
|
| Cancer endpoints |
| Any cancer event (new or recurrent)
| 559 (1.56)
| 561 (1.56)
| 0.99 (0.88, 1.11)
|
| New cancer events
| 524 (1.46)
| 535 (1.49)
| 0.96 (0.85, 1.09)
|
| Death due to Cancer
| 189 (0.51)
| 201 (0.54)
| 0.94 (0.77, 1.15)
|
Hyperglycemia or Hypoglycemia
Inform patients that hypoglycemia is the most common adverse reaction with insulin. Inform patients of the symptoms of hypoglycemia. Inform patients that the ability to concentrate and react may be impaired as a result of hypoglycemia. This may present a risk in situations where these abilities are especially important, such as driving or operating other machinery. Advise patients who have frequent hypoglycemia or reduced or absent warning signs of hypoglycemia to use caution when driving or operating machinery [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].
Advise patients that changes in insulin regimen can predispose to hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia and that changes in insulin regimen should be made under close medical supervision [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Medication errors
Instruct patients to always check the insulin label before each injection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].
Administration
Advise patients that REZVOGLAR must NOT be diluted or mixed with any other insulin or solution and that REZVOGLAR must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with no particles visible. [see Dosage and Administration (2)].
Literature issued: December 2021
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