First pre-filled glucagon pen now available in the UK for the treatment of severe hypoglycaemia

People living with diabetes in the UK now have access to the first ready-to-use, pre-mixed and pre-measured liquid glucagon injection for the treatment of severe hypoglycaemia, Tetris Pharma has announced.

The new glucagon pre-filled pen, Ogluo® will help treat severe hypoglycaemia in adults, adolescents and children aged two years and over, research has shown.

Unlike current glucagon emergency kits, Ogluo is a reliable two-step administration of glucagon through a pre-filled pen in case of a severe hypoglycaemic episode.

In a study, 99% of participants were successfully able to administer it. To help ensure the right dose, two pre-measured dosing options for adults and children are available.

Sub-cutaneous (sub-cut) glucagon has an established safety profile, with Ogluo being stable at room temperature, portable, ready-to-use with no visible needle, and can be stored for up to 27 months for the 1mg & 24 months for the 0.5mg.

Dr Patrick English, Consultant in Diabetes, Endocrinology, General and Acute Medicine, said: “Many people with type 1 diabetes live in fear of severe hypoglycaemic episodes. These episodes can be frightening for the person with diabetes, as well as for family, friends and carers who don’t always know what to do or how to help.

“Currently, the administration of glucagon to treat such an episode, when someone is unconscious or unable to take glucose orally, requires a number of steps to mix the glucagon powder and liquid prior to administration. This is often not done successfully under pressure, which may delay recovery.”

He added: “Providing glucagon as a liquid in a new, easy-to-use auto injection device could make this process far simpler and mean greater freedom and security for people living with diabetes and their families, friends and carers.”

In the UK, approximately five million people are living with diabetes and are at risk of hypoglycaemia, a common side effect of insulin use. Hypoglycaemia is responsible for an estimated 70,000–100,000 emergency callouts in the UK costing between £16m- £24m per annum.

Severe hypoglycaemia occurs when blood glucose levels drop below 4mmol/L and is defined as requiring assistance from another person to treat it. It has an annual prevalence of 30 to 40% amongst people living with type 1 diabetes and is the second most common cause of hospital admissions for drug-related adverse events.

Severe hypoglycaemia is currently treated with a glucagon treatment requiring eight stages to prepare and inject. In a simulated human factor study of 16 individuals both trained & untrained, only 31% of participants were successfully able to administer the glucagon solution.

Ineffective treatment of hypoglycaemic episodes can substantially increase overall direct and indirect healthcare costs because of a person’s need for emergency support and hospitalisation. The estimated total cost of a severe hypoglycaemic episode can be over £2,000.

Dr Shafiq Choudhary, CEO of Tetris said: “We are delighted that Ogluo is now available for prescription in the UK, and we are excited that it will bring much-needed benefits alongside an established safety profile of sub-cut glucagon for people with diabetes and their carers.

“The innovative new formulation of our glucagon solution is designed to be a very user-friendly treatment to tackle severe episodes of hypoglycaemia, minimising the risk for user error.”

He added: “Ogluo has the potential to improve diabetes self-care and empower people with diabetes and carers to manage challenging episodes with confidence, hopefully also lessening the significant psychological burden.”

Ogluo is the first product to market from Tetris’s growing pipeline. The Company currently has ten license and supply agreements with large pharma and plans to add two-to-three new in-licensed or acquired products per year.