Dasiglucagon well tolerated for severe hypoglycemia

(HealthDay)—Dasiglucagon is well tolerated and is associated with an early pharmacodynamic response similar to that of GlucaGen for severe hypoglycemia, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in Diabetes Care.

Ulrike Hövelmann, M.D., from Profil in Neuss, Germany, and colleagues compared the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, safety, and tolerability of different doses of the soluble glucagon analog dasiglucagon with approved pediatric and full doses of GlucaGen. A total of 58 patients with type 1 diabetes were randomized to receive single subcutaneous injections of 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, or 1 mg dasiglucagon or 0.5 or 1 mg GlucaGen in a state of intravenous insulin infusion-induced hypoglycemia.

The researchers observed a dose-dependent and rapid increase in plasma concentrations with dasiglucagon, reaching a maximum at about 35 minutes and with a half-life of about 0.5 hours. There was a rapid increase in plasma glucose with dasiglucagon by ≥20 mg/dL to ≥70 mg/dL, similar to GlucaGen, but greater and longer-lasting. These end points were reached by all patients on both treatments within 30 minutes. Treatments were well tolerated; the most frequent adverse event was nausea, which occurred at a similar rate in both groups.

"Dasiglucagon has the potential to become an effective and reliable rescue treatment for severe hypoglycemia in a ready-to-use pen," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies, including Zealand Pharma, which manufactures dasiglucagon and funded the study.

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