New Insulin Analog NovoLog® Mix 70/30 FlexPen® is Now Available

New combination insulin now available in US

Novo Nordisk announced that NovoLog® Mix 70/30 (70% insulin aspart [rDNA origin] protamine suspension and 30% insulin aspart [rDNA origin] injection), a new dual-action insulin analog, along with the new NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPen® prefilled syringe, is now available nationwide for the treatment of diabetes.

NovoLog Mix 70/30 has a rapid onset and intermediate duration of action, so insulin needs immediately after a meal and between meals can be met through a single injection rather than separate injections of these types of insulins. NovoLog Mix 70/30 is typically dosed twice a day, immediately before breakfast and dinner.

"Our goal with NovoLog Mix 70/30 is to help people with diabetes start insulin therapy simply and easily, and at the same time achieve effective glycemic control," said Peter Aurup, M.D., vice president of drug development, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

"Unfortunately, many people with diabetes delay starting insulin therapy even when it's clearly needed to maintain glycemic control, in part due to fear of injections and perceived or real difficulties following and adhering to an insulin-treatment regimen," said Dr. Aurup. "NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPen is suited for those first starting or needing changes in standard insulin therapy. The dual action of NovoLog Mix 70/30 provides mealtime and basal insulin coverage, in most cases with just two daily administrations, before breakfast and dinner. And FlexPen makes injecting insulin discreet," he said. He added that FlexPen is made of environmentally friendly plastic.

Dr. Aurup cited a recent study in which people with type 2 diabetes showed a marked preference for NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPen over the lispro mix pen (75% insulin lispro protamine suspension and 25% insulin lispro injection [rDNA origin]), another premixed insulin and prefilled pen.(1)

While the researchers conducting the study found the two devices comparable in terms of safety and efficacy, participants reported preference for the NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPen, in terms of overall ease of use, by more than an 8-to-1 margin (73.6% preferred the NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPen, compared to 9.1% who preferred the lispro mix pen).1 The researchers also found that 75% of the participants said they wanted to continue using the NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPen when the trial ended. The multinational, multicenter, open labeled, randomized two-period crossover study included 137 people with type 2 diabetes.

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