Insulin Glargine
/api/v1/drug/insulin-glargineMechanism of action
Sourced from openFDAThe primary activity of insulin, including insulin glargine, is regulation of glucose metabolism. Insulin and its analog lower blood glucose by stimulating peripheral glucose uptake, especially by skeletal muscle and fat, and by inhibiting hepatic glucose production.
Indications
Sourced from openFDA- BASAGLAR ® is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. BASAGLAR ® is a long-acting human insulin analog indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.ICD-10: E10.9, E11.9
Contraindications
Sourced from openFDA- BASAGLAR is contraindicated: During episodes of hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] . In patients with hypersensitivity to insulin glargine or any of the excipients in BASAGLAR [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] .contraindicated
Dosage & administration
Sourced from openFDAIndividualize dosage based on metabolic needs, blood glucose monitoring, glycemic control, type of diabetes, prior insulin use. ( 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 ) Administer subcutaneously once daily at any time of day, but at the same time every day. ( 2.2 ) Rotate injection sites into the abdominal area, thigh, or deltoid to reduce the risk of lipodystrophy and localized cutaneous amyloidosis. ( 2.1 ) Closely monitor glucose when converting to BASAGLAR and during initial weeks thereafter. ( 2.2 ) Do not dilute or mix with any other insulin or solution. ( 2.1 ) 2.1 Important Administration Instructions Always check insulin labels before administration [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] . Visually inspect BASAGLAR prefilled pens for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration. Only use if the solution is clear and colorless with no visible particles. Administer BASAGLAR subcutaneously into the abdominal area, thigh, or deltoid, and rotate injection sites within the same region from one injection to the next to reduce the risk of lipodystrophy and localized cutaneous amyloidosis. Do not inject into areas of lipodystrophy or localized cutaneous amyloidosis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) and Adverse Reactions ( 6 )] . During changes to a patient's insulin regimen, increase the frequency of blood glucose monitoring [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] . Use BASAGLAR with caution in patients with visual impairment that may rely on audible clicks to dial their dose. Do not dilute or mix BASAGLAR with any other insulin or solution.
Warnings & precautions
Sourced from openFDANever share a BASAGLAR prefilled pen between patients, even if the needle is changed. ( 5.1 ) Hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia with changes in insulin regimen: Make changes to a patient's insulin regimen (e.g., insulin strength, manufacturer, type, injection site or method of administration) under close medical supervision with increased frequency of blood glucose monitoring. ( 5.2 ) Hypoglycemia: May be life-threatening. Increase frequency of glucose monitoring with changes to: insulin dosage, co-administered glucose lowering medications, meal pattern, physical activity; and in patients with renal or hepatic impairment and hypoglycemia unawareness. ( 5.3 , 6.1 ) Hypoglycemia due to medication errors: Accidental mix-ups between insulin products can occur. Instruct patients to check insulin labels before injection. ( 5.4 ) Hypersensitivity reactions: Severe, life-threatening, generalized allergy, including anaphylaxis, can occur. Discontinue BASAGLAR, monitor and treat if indicated. ( 5.5 , 6.1 ) Hypokalemia: May be life-threatening. Monitor potassium levels in patients at risk of hypokalemia and treat if indicated. ( 5.6 ) Fluid retention and heart failure with concomitant use of thiazolidinediones (TZDs): Observe for signs and symptoms of heart failure; consider dosage reduction or discontinuation if heart failure occurs. ( 5.7 ) 5.1 Never Share a BASAGLAR Prefilled Pen Between Patients BASAGLAR prefilled pens must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed. Sharing poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens.
Adverse reactions
Sourced from openFDAThe following adverse reactions are discussed elsewhere: Hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] . Hypoglycemia Due to Medication Errors [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] . Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] . Hypokalemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 )] . Adverse reactions commonly (≥5%) associated with insulin glargine products are: Hypoglycemia, allergic reactions, injection site reaction, lipodystrophy, pruritus, rash, edema, and weight gain. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Eli Lilly and Company at 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trial Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Two clinical trials with BASAGLAR were conducted: one in type 1 diabetes and one in type 2 diabetes. The type 1 diabetes population had the following characteristics: Mean age was 41 years and mean duration of diabetes was 16 years. 58% were male. 75% were Caucasian, 2% Black or African American and 4% American Indian or Alaskan native. 4% were Hispanic. At baseline, mean eGFR was 109 mL/min/1.73m 2 . 73.5 percent of patients had eGFR>90 mL/min/1.73m 2 . The mean BMI was approximately 26 kg/m 2 . HbA 1c at baseline was 7.8%. The data in Table 1 reflect exposure of 268 patients to BASAGLAR with a mean exposure duration of 49 weeks.
Use in specific populations
Sourced from openFDA8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Published studies with use of insulin glargine products during pregnancy have not reported a clear association with insulin glargine products and adverse developmental outcomes (see Data). There are risks to the mother and fetus associated with poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy (see Clinical Considerations). In animal reproduction studies, another insulin glargine product was administered to rats before, during and throughout pregnancy at doses up to 7 times the clinical dose of 10 units/day and to rabbits during organogenesis at doses approximately 2 times the clinical dose of 10 units/day. The effects of this other insulin glargine product did not generally differ from those observed with regular human insulin in rats or rabbits (see Data). The estimated background risk of major birth defects is 6-10% in women with pre-gestational diabetes with a HbA1c >7 and has been reported to be as high as 20-25% in women with a HbA1c >10. The estimated background risk of miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the US general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.
Pharmacokinetics
Sourced from openFDA- Metabolism
- Absorption and Bioavailability The pharmacokinetic profile for BASAGLAR was determined after subcutaneous administration of a single 0.5 U/kg dose in a euglycemic clamp study conducted in 91 healthy subjects. The insulin serum concentrations indicated a slow and prolonged absorption and a relatively constant concentration/time profile over 24 hours with no pronounced peak.
Overdosage
Sourced from openFDAExcess insulin administration relative to food intake, energy expenditure, or both may lead to severe and sometimes prolonged and life-threatening hypoglycemia and hypokalemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 , 5.6 )] . Mild episodes of hypoglycemia can be treated with oral glucose. Adjustments in drug dosage, meal patterns, or physical activity level may be needed. More severe episodes with coma, seizure, or neurologic impairment may be treated with a glucagon product for emergency use or concentrated intravenous glucose. Sustained carbohydrate intake and observation may be necessary because hypoglycemia may recur after apparent clinical recovery. Hypokalemia must be corrected appropriately.
Approval history
Sourced from openFDA- Apr 20, 2000BLABLA021081Sanofi Aventis Us
- Feb 25, 2015BLABLA206538Sanofi Us Services
- Dec 16, 2015BLABLA205692Eli Lilly And Co
- Nov 21, 2016BLABLA208673Sanofi-aventis Us
- Jul 28, 2021BLABLA761201Mylan Pharms Inc
- Dec 17, 2021BLABLA761215Eli Lilly Co
FDA shortages
Reference statistics from the openFDA drug-shortage dataset. For a live view, consult the FDA database directly. Not clinical guidance.
- Basaglar, Injection, U-100 Tempo Pen (NDC 0002-8214-05)To be discontinuedSponsor: Eli Lilly and Co.Updated
FAERS reports
- 1Blood Glucose Increased38,99816%
- 2Off Label Use12,8005.3%
- 3Drug Ineffective10,5284.3%
- 4Blood Glucose Decreased10,4844.3%
- 5Inappropriate Schedule Of Product Administration10,1294.2%
- 6Nausea9,8984.1%
- 7Product Storage Error9,2553.8%
- 8Visual Impairment8,8043.6%
- 9Hypoglycaemia7,9243.3%
- 10Diarrhoea7,1402.9%
- 11Fatigue6,9402.8%
- 12Incorrect Dose Administered6,7372.8%
- 13Malaise6,6592.7%
- 14Weight Decreased6,4122.6%
- 15Injection Site Pain6,3892.6%
Literature
Recent PubMed references pinned to Insulin Glargine as a MeSH major topic. Citations link to pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
- Blood-glucose Profile Evaluation with a Model-based Approach using Continuous Glucose Monitoring Data.The AAPS journal · 2026 · Kunina H, Chien JY, Garhyan P, et al.PMID 42091767DOI 10.1208/s12248-026-01245-8
- The Silver Jubilee (2025) of Insulin Glargine: Introducing the Era of Long-Acting Insulin Analogues for Diabetes Mellitus.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2026 · Bolli GB, Home PD, Lepore M, et al.PMID 42046184DOI 10.1111/dom.70751
- Initiation of the interchangeable biosimilar insulin glargine-yfgn among older adults.The American journal of managed care · 2026 · Khan SR, Heller DA, Latty LL, et al.PMID 42044400DOI 10.37765/ajmc.2026.89925
- A FAERS database study on visual impairment adverse events associated with three long-acting insulin analogues.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026 · Zhong L, Cao W, Liu X, et al.PMID 41924517DOI 10.3389/fendo.2026.1750408
- Comparative efficacy and safety of three fixed-ratio combination products in type 2 diabetes: A network meta-analysis.Journal of diabetes investigation · 2026 · Wang X, Qin J, Liu Y, et al.PMID 41902544DOI 10.1111/jdi.70293
- Severe diabetic ketoacidosis associated with insulin dose reduction after tirzepatide initiation.BMJ case reports · 2026 · Aung ET, Min T, Mon YT, et al.PMID 41802735DOI 10.1136/bcr-2025-270158
- Efficient Extracellular Production of Insulin Glargine in Trichoderma reesei by an Integrative Secretion-Based Strategy.Microbial biotechnology · 2026 · Yan A, Li X, Zhang D, et al.PMID 41796705DOI 10.1111/1751-7915.70318
- Cost-utility of once-weekly insulin icodec versus once-daily basal insulins for type 2 diabetes in China.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2026 · Tong X, Xing C, Zhang L, et al.PMID 41705603DOI 10.1111/dom.70567
Clinical trials
The 10 most recently updated of 722 ClinicalTrials.gov registrations naming Insulin Glargine as an intervention. Registration is not evidence of efficacy or safety — reference crosswalk only.
- A Research Study to See How Well New Weekly Medicine IcoSema, Which is a Combination of Insulin Icodec and Semaglutide, Controls Blood Sugar Levels in People With Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), Compared to Daily Insulin Glargine (COMBINE 4)Completed · Phase 3 · Interventional · 485 enrolled · Novo Nordisk A/SNCT06269107updated 2026-06-05
- A Research Study to See How a Weekly Insulin, Insulin Icodec, Helps in Reducing the Blood Sugar Compared to Daily Insulin Glargine, Both in Combination With Insulin Aspart, in Adults With Type 1 DiabetesRecruiting · Phase 3 · Interventional · 877 enrolled · Novo Nordisk A/SNCT07076199updated 2026-06-05
- Efficacy and Safety of SHR-3167 and Insulin Glargine in Type 2 Diabetes SubjectsCompleted · Phase 2 · Interventional · 275 enrolled · Jiangsu HengRui Medicine Co., Ltd.NCT06688123updated 2026-06-04
- Influence of Gut Microbiota on the Development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Personalization of Diabetes-lowing TherapyCompleted · Observational · 100 enrolled · Pirogov Russian National Research Medical UniversityNCT07627048updated 2026-06-04
- Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of Insulin GLARGINE and DEGLUDEC in Glucocorticoid Induced HYPERGLYCEMIA in Hospitalized Patients".Completed · Phase 4 · Interventional · 79 enrolled · Max Healthcare Insititute LimitedNCT07599891updated 2026-05-20
- Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Four Second Line Pharmacological Strategies in Type 2 Diabetes StudyActive not recruiting · Observational · 781,430 enrolled · Brigham and Women's HospitalNCT05220917updated 2026-05-15
- Once-Daily vs Twice-Daily Insulin Glargine in Pregestational Diabetes ManagementRecruiting · Phase 4 · Interventional · 200 enrolled · Eastern Virginia Medical SchoolNCT07224893updated 2026-05-15
- To Compare the Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability Between SHR-3167 Injection and Glargine Insulin in Healthy SubjectsCompleted · Phase 1 · Interventional · 24 enrolled · Jiangsu HengRui Medicine Co., Ltd.NCT07588906updated 2026-05-15
- A Research Study to Look Into How Semaglutide, Together With a Lower Dose of Insulin Glargine, Compares to a Higher Dose of Insulin Glargine Alone in People With Type 2 Diabetes (SUSTAIN OPTIMIZE)Completed · Phase 3 · Interventional · 573 enrolled · Novo Nordisk A/SNCT05514535updated 2026-05-11
- Glycemic Control After Antenatal Corticosteroids in Women With Pregestational and Gestational DiabetesActive not recruiting · Phase 2 · Interventional · 120 enrolled · University of Alabama at BirminghamNCT04542148updated 2026-05-11
Frequently asked questions
- How does Insulin Glargine work?
- The primary activity of insulin, including insulin glargine, is regulation of glucose metabolism. Insulin and its analog lower blood glucose by stimulating peripheral glucose uptake, especially by skeletal muscle and fat, and by inhibiting hepatic glucose production.
- What is Insulin Glargine used for?
- According to FDA labeling, Insulin Glargine carries indications including: BASAGLAR ® is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. BASAGLAR ® is a long-acting human insulin analog indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.. This is a reference summary of labeled uses, not medical advice or a treatment recommendation.
- What class of drug is Insulin Glargine?
- Insulin Glargine is classified as Insulins and analogues for injection, long-acting, Insulin Analog, Insulin Receptor Agonists, Decreased Glycogenolysis, Decreased Lipolysis, Increased Glucose Transport into Cells, Increased Glycogenesis, Increased Lipogenesis, Increased Protein Synthesis.
- What are the brand names for Insulin Glargine?
- Insulin Glargine is marketed under brand names including Basaglar, Lantus, Rezvoglar, Semglee, Soliqua, Toujeo.
- What are the contraindications for Insulin Glargine?
- Insulin Glargine labeling lists contraindications including: BASAGLAR is contraindicated: During episodes of hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] . In patients with hypersensitivity to insulin glargine or any of the excipients in BASAGLAR [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] .. Always consult the full prescribing information and a clinician.
insulin-glargine is illustrative MVP content compiled from public sources. pharmacopeia is for educational and informational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.