Sanofi launches advanced diabetes therapy

A next generation basal insulin to help patients achieve stable control

with consistent reduction of hypoglycemic episodes.[i]

  • 7% of adults in Qatar has Diabetesii
  • Risk of Hypoglycemia and weight gain are some key concerns for diabetes patients taking insulin
  • BRIGHT study reveals Toujeo met primary endpoint in lowering blood sugar levels and was non-inferior to insulin degludec 100U/ml in adults with type 2 diabetes not previously on insulin (P-value < 0.0001) vii
  • Incidence and rate of any time24 hours hypoglycemia were reduced with Toujeo in the first 12 weeks compared to insulin degludec 100U/ml, and comparable from weeks 13-24 and the full 24-week study period

Doha, Qatar, 25 November 2018: The control of blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes remains suboptimal, with 1 in 2 patients on treatment for diabetes not reaching their glycemic goals. [ii] With the aim of addressing this unmet need of patients, Sanofi, under the patronage of the Qatar Diabetes Association launched Toujeo® (insulin glargine U300), a next generation basal insulin, to improve the control of blood sugar in adults living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes viii,ix. The launch was attended by the Ambassador of France to the State of Qatar.

“Concern over hypoglycemia may cause people to modify their insulin dose. [iii]Around 4 in 10 patients with Type 2 Diabetes reduce their insulin dose after a mild hypoglycemic episodeᵛᴵ. Poor treatment adherence, persistence and intensity can result in sub-optimal control. [iv] With the new therapy, we are hoping to break the cycle of sub-optimal insulin use,” said Dr. Abdulla Al-Hamaq, Executive Director at the Qatar Diabetes Association, Qatar Foundation.

Toujeo® provides stable control that lasts a full 24 hours and beyondᵛᴵ. It also provides the benefits of dosage flexibility (up to 3 hours) when needed.vi The new therapy has a neutral effect on cardiovascular conditions, ensuring long-term safety for patients with co-morbidities. [v],[vi]

“Sanofi is proud of its strong and long heritage in diabetes and insulin therapies, including Lantus® which has supported patients in the management of their diabetes for more than a decade. We are committed to bringing advanced therapies that aim to deliver better health outcomes for people with diabetes in Qatar. With the introduction of Toujeo®, we offer effective alternative that will address some of the previously unmet needs of diabetes patients in the country,” said Lilya Ziad, Country Medical Chair.

The approval of Toujeo®  is based on results from the EDITION clinical trial program, which comprised of a series of international studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of the drug in more than 3,500 adults from broad and diverse diabetes populations (type 1 and type 2). i

At the end of the BRIGHT study, Toujeo demonstrated comparable blood sugar (HbA1c) control versus insulin degludec 100U/ml (-1.64% vs. -1.59%, respectively P-value <0.0001). During the first 12 weeks of therapy, a period when patients and physicians work to determine the most appropriate individual insulin dose, Toujeo reduced the rate of any time low blood sugar (Confirmed (≤3.9 mmol/l [≤70 mg/dl]hypoglycemia) events by 23 percent and the incidence of low blood sugar events by 26 percent, compared to insulin degludec 100U/ml (p<0.05).2 During the subsequent 12 weeks of the study (treatment period: 13-24 weeks), the two treatments showed comparable incidence and rate of low blood sugar events vii.

More from our Health Care Section!