Characteristics and practicalities of a new basal insulin

Abstract

Although current basal insulin analogues offer substantial improvements over previous therapies, they are not yet ideal. Issues such as fear of hypoglycaemia and the complexity and rigidity of dosing regimens are significant barriers to the initiation and intensification of insulin therapy. Fear of hypoglycaemia in particular has been proven to affect negatively adherence and health-related quality of life for people with diabetes. Insulin degludec (IDeg), a new basal insulin analogue with a longer duration of action and lower variability than insulin glargine (IGlar), was granted marketing authority by the European Medicines Agency in January 2013 and launched in the UK in March 2013. Clinical data show comparable efficacy to previous insulin analogues but with a reduced risk of hypoglycaemia and greater opportunity for flexible dosing. These improvements make IDeg a viable option for insulin therapy in people with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).