The U.S. FDA has granted tentative approval for Basaglar (insulin glargine injection). With a tentative approval, the FDA has determined that Basaglar meets all of the regulatory requirements for approval, but it is subject to an automatic stay of up to 30 months as a result of litigation filed by Sanofi claiming patent infringement. Under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act (“Hatch Waxman”), the FDA cannot give final approval until the end of the 30-month period in mid-2016, unless the court finds in favor of Lilly earlier.
Basaglar is a new basal insulin indicated to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes and in combination with mealtime insulin in adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes. Basaglar is not recommended for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Basaglar has the same amino acid sequence as the currently marketed insulin glargine product and was tentatively approved for use with KwikPen, a pre-filled dosing device. Basaglar is contraindicated during episodes of hypoglycemia and in patients with hypersensitivity to insulin glargine or one of its other ingredients.
The tentative approval is based, in part, on results from Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s extensive clinical development program for the alliance’s insulin glargine product. The submission included results from pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies, as well as Phase III studies in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The trade name ‘Basaglar’ was granted provisional approval by FDA and will be used in the U.S. market once the product is made available to patients. While ‘Abasria®‘ is an approved name in Europe, it’s not necessarily approved in other regions. Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim are targeting a global trade name outside of the United States for the alliance’s insulin glargine product, which will be announced at a later date.
