Afrezza® is an inhaled human insulin indicated to help improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus
Inhalable insulin is a powdered form of insulin, delivered with a nebulizer into the lungs where it is absorbed.
Inhaled insulin is another option for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar. It works for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The FDA has approved an inhaled, rapid-acting, dry-powder formulation of recombinant human insulin (Afrezza–Mannkind/Sanofi) for treatment of adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In patients with type 1 diabetes, the drug must be used in combination with long-acting insulin.
Afrezza comes in two cartridge sizes right now, equivalent to four units and eight units of inject rapid-acting insulin. It was recently announced that a 12-unit cartridge would become available in late 2015, for anyone who may require larger doses of insulin.
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The small inhaler device is usable for 15-days, after which it should be replaced with a new inhaler.
Afrezza peaks in just 12-15 minutes, making it much faster than current rapid-acting insulins (Humalog, Novolog, and Apidra) that generally take about 45-90 minutes to peak.
Afrezza does have minor respiratory side effects – in its phase 3 clinical trials, 20-30% of those on Afrezza experienced a cough, compared to none of the participants on Novolog. So before starting on Afrezza, a lung function test (spirometry) is required. Patients also can’t use Afrezza if they have chronic lung problems, such as asthma or COPD.
Given the dosing size, Afrezza may be best suited for: patients with type 2 diabetes, an ultra-fast correction dose in type 1 patients, or for very large meals.
https://www.afrezza.com/hcp