
May 30, 2004
Insulin
Question from Emmaus, Pennsylvania, USA:
Is there any difference in the latest FDA approved short-acting insulin Apidra versus Humalog and NovoLog?
Answer:
Apidra (glulisine generically) is the newest fast-acting human insulin analog. Much like NovoNordisk’s NovoLog (aspart insulin) and Lilly’s Humalog (lispro insulin). There is not much practical experience yet. Research reports are also not very extensive, but Apidra is made by Aventis and will soon be on the United States’ and world markets. Word of mouth from diabetologists is that it is, so far, quite similar to Novolog and Humalog, though it will take two or three years for enough experience to accumulate to know how similar or dissimilar it actually is as folks start to use it.
SB