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Medication News & Update

Inhaled Insulin Approved by FDA
On January 27, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first ever inhaled insulin. Exubera®, an inhaled powder form of recombinant human insulin (rDNA) and manufactured by Pfizer, is the first new insulin delivery option introduced since the discovery of insulin in the 1920s.  The safety and efficacy of Exubera have been studied in approximately 2500 adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In clinical studies, peak insulin levels were achieved at 49 minutes (range 30 to 90 minutes) with Exubera® inhaled insulin compared to 105 minutes (range 60 to 240 minutes) with regular insulin.  Exubera® is not to be used by patients that smoke or have recently quit smoking (within the last 6 months), and it is not recommended in patients with asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema. Baseline tests for lung function are recommended before beginning treatment and are recommended to be repeated every 6 to 12 months thereafter.  For more information, visit http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2006/021868lbl.pdf