Comparison of a ready-to-use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia: two randomized crossover non-inferiority studies

Introduction To prevent medical sequelae of severe hypoglycemic emergencies, prompt and reliable rescue intervention is critically important. A ready-to-use, liquid stable glucagon, administered subcutaneously by glucagon autoinjector (GAI), Gvoke HypoPen (glucagon injection; Xeris Pharmaceuticals),...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anh Nguyen, Mark P Christiansen, Martin Cummins, Steven Prestrelski, Nicole C Close, Khaled Junaidi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2021-03-01
Series:BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care
Online Access:https://drc.bmj.com/content/9/1/e002137.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850246827850334208
author Anh Nguyen
Mark P Christiansen
Martin Cummins
Steven Prestrelski
Nicole C Close
Khaled Junaidi
author_facet Anh Nguyen
Mark P Christiansen
Martin Cummins
Steven Prestrelski
Nicole C Close
Khaled Junaidi
author_sort Anh Nguyen
collection DOAJ
description Introduction To prevent medical sequelae of severe hypoglycemic emergencies, prompt and reliable rescue intervention is critically important. A ready-to-use, liquid stable glucagon, administered subcutaneously by glucagon autoinjector (GAI), Gvoke HypoPen (glucagon injection; Xeris Pharmaceuticals), was evaluated for rescue treatment of severe hypoglycemia.Research design and methods Two phase III, randomized, controlled, blinded, non-inferiority crossover studies were conducted in 161 adults with type 1 diabetes to compare 1 mg doses of GAI versus glucagon emergency kit (GEK) for treating insulin-induced severe hypoglycemia. Efficacy was evaluated as either a return of plasma glucose to >70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or increase ≥20 mg/dL (1.1 mmol/L) from a baseline glucose of <50 mg/dL (2.9 mmol/L), within 30 min of dosing.Results For successful plasma glucose recovery within 30 min, treatment with GAI was non-inferior to GEK. Treatment with GAI was non-inferior to GEK for a plasma glucose >70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or neuroglycopenic symptom relief within 30 min. From administration of glucagon, the mean time to achieve plasma glucose >70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or increase ≥20 mg/dL (1.1 mmol/L) was 13.8±5.6 min for GAI and 10.0±3.6 min for GEK. This mean time does not account for the significantly shorter (p<0.0001) drug preparation and administration time for GAI (27.3±19.7 s) versus GEK (97.2±45.1 s). The incidence of treatment emergent adverse events was comparable in both groups.Conclusions A ready-to-use GAI was non-inferior to GEK, with a similar tolerability profile. GAI is an effective, safe, and well-tolerated rescue treatment for severe hypoglycemia and is a viable alternative to GEK.Trial registration numbers NCT02656069 and NCT03439072.
format Article
id doaj-art-e17d099bf97645298d125e610969a48d
institution OA Journals
issn 2052-4897
language English
publishDate 2021-03-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care
spelling doaj-art-e17d099bf97645298d125e610969a48d2025-08-20T01:59:05ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care2052-48972021-03-019110.1136/bmjdrc-2021-002137Comparison of a ready-to-use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia: two randomized crossover non-inferiority studiesAnh Nguyen0Mark P Christiansen1Martin Cummins2Steven Prestrelski3Nicole C Close4Khaled Junaidi5Department of Neuroradiology, Clinic of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandDiablo Clinical Research Center, Concord, California, USAClinical Development, Xeris Pharmaceuticals Inc, Chicago, Illinois, USAClinical Development, Xeris Pharmaceuticals Inc, Chicago, Illinois, USAEmpiriStat Inc, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USAClinical Development, Xeris Pharmaceuticals Inc, Chicago, Illinois, USAIntroduction To prevent medical sequelae of severe hypoglycemic emergencies, prompt and reliable rescue intervention is critically important. A ready-to-use, liquid stable glucagon, administered subcutaneously by glucagon autoinjector (GAI), Gvoke HypoPen (glucagon injection; Xeris Pharmaceuticals), was evaluated for rescue treatment of severe hypoglycemia.Research design and methods Two phase III, randomized, controlled, blinded, non-inferiority crossover studies were conducted in 161 adults with type 1 diabetes to compare 1 mg doses of GAI versus glucagon emergency kit (GEK) for treating insulin-induced severe hypoglycemia. Efficacy was evaluated as either a return of plasma glucose to >70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or increase ≥20 mg/dL (1.1 mmol/L) from a baseline glucose of <50 mg/dL (2.9 mmol/L), within 30 min of dosing.Results For successful plasma glucose recovery within 30 min, treatment with GAI was non-inferior to GEK. Treatment with GAI was non-inferior to GEK for a plasma glucose >70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or neuroglycopenic symptom relief within 30 min. From administration of glucagon, the mean time to achieve plasma glucose >70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or increase ≥20 mg/dL (1.1 mmol/L) was 13.8±5.6 min for GAI and 10.0±3.6 min for GEK. This mean time does not account for the significantly shorter (p<0.0001) drug preparation and administration time for GAI (27.3±19.7 s) versus GEK (97.2±45.1 s). The incidence of treatment emergent adverse events was comparable in both groups.Conclusions A ready-to-use GAI was non-inferior to GEK, with a similar tolerability profile. GAI is an effective, safe, and well-tolerated rescue treatment for severe hypoglycemia and is a viable alternative to GEK.Trial registration numbers NCT02656069 and NCT03439072.https://drc.bmj.com/content/9/1/e002137.full
spellingShingle Anh Nguyen
Mark P Christiansen
Martin Cummins
Steven Prestrelski
Nicole C Close
Khaled Junaidi
Comparison of a ready-to-use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia: two randomized crossover non-inferiority studies
BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care
title Comparison of a ready-to-use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia: two randomized crossover non-inferiority studies
title_full Comparison of a ready-to-use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia: two randomized crossover non-inferiority studies
title_fullStr Comparison of a ready-to-use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia: two randomized crossover non-inferiority studies
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of a ready-to-use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia: two randomized crossover non-inferiority studies
title_short Comparison of a ready-to-use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia: two randomized crossover non-inferiority studies
title_sort comparison of a ready to use liquid glucagon injection administered by autoinjector to glucagon emergency kit for the symptomatic relief of severe hypoglycemia two randomized crossover non inferiority studies
url https://drc.bmj.com/content/9/1/e002137.full
work_keys_str_mv AT anhnguyen comparisonofareadytouseliquidglucagoninjectionadministeredbyautoinjectortoglucagonemergencykitforthesymptomaticreliefofseverehypoglycemiatworandomizedcrossovernoninferioritystudies
AT markpchristiansen comparisonofareadytouseliquidglucagoninjectionadministeredbyautoinjectortoglucagonemergencykitforthesymptomaticreliefofseverehypoglycemiatworandomizedcrossovernoninferioritystudies
AT martincummins comparisonofareadytouseliquidglucagoninjectionadministeredbyautoinjectortoglucagonemergencykitforthesymptomaticreliefofseverehypoglycemiatworandomizedcrossovernoninferioritystudies
AT stevenprestrelski comparisonofareadytouseliquidglucagoninjectionadministeredbyautoinjectortoglucagonemergencykitforthesymptomaticreliefofseverehypoglycemiatworandomizedcrossovernoninferioritystudies
AT nicolecclose comparisonofareadytouseliquidglucagoninjectionadministeredbyautoinjectortoglucagonemergencykitforthesymptomaticreliefofseverehypoglycemiatworandomizedcrossovernoninferioritystudies
AT khaledjunaidi comparisonofareadytouseliquidglucagoninjectionadministeredbyautoinjectortoglucagonemergencykitforthesymptomaticreliefofseverehypoglycemiatworandomizedcrossovernoninferioritystudies